Understanding Symfony
Reading time: ~30min
This chapter is the foundation for anyone starting with Symfony. You’ll learn about the framework’s architecture—how its modular design makes it easy to extend and customize. You’ll also explore core concepts like Dependency Injection and Doctrine ORM.
Later, we’ll focus on Symfony’s key components—like HttpFoundation for handling requests and responses, or Twig for clean, maintainable templates. If you’re wondering why to choose Symfony over other PHP frameworks like Laravel or CodeIgniter, this chapter offers a clear comparison.
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Work Environment
Reading time: ~60min
Before diving into development, you need to set up your environment. This chapter walks you through installing the tools you'll need: system requirements, configuring a local server (like XAMPP), and installing Composer and Symfony CLI—key tools for managing Symfony projects.
You'll also get an introduction to version control—from Git basics to working with GitLab repositories. We'll explain team collaboration workflows using branches, commits, and pull requests. By the end, you’ll have a strong setup to support long-term development.
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Building an App Step by Step
Reading time: ~3–4h
This is the largest and most hands-on chapter in the ebook. You’ll go through the full process of building a web app with Symfony—from initial concept and business requirements to app architecture and implementation. You’ll define your data model, database structure, and set up routing, controllers, and templates using Twig.
You’ll also learn how to work with Doctrine ORM—from defining entities to managing migrations and running queries. We'll cover form handling, user data validation, and security features including authentication and authorization. With detailed examples, this chapter will help you build a fully functional app from scratch.
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Advanced Symfony Features
Reading time: ~2–3h
This chapter dives into Symfony’s more powerful features. You’ll learn how to create a REST API without relying on external tools like API Platform. We’ll define routes, test endpoints with Postman, and optimize performance.
You’ll also explore advanced tools like Messenger (queues), the Event Dispatcher (for app-level events), and internationalization/localization support. Every topic is explained with examples to help you apply it directly to your own projects.
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Code Quality Analysis
Reading time: ~50min
This chapter teaches you how to maintain high code standards. You’ll get to know popular tools like PHP_CodeSniffer, PHPMD, and PHPStan, which help automatically detect issues and enforce best practices.
You’ll also learn how to use tools like Rector and CS-Fixer for automatic refactoring, and how to incorporate them into your daily workflow or CI pipelines.
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Testing & Debugging
Reading time: ~1.5h
Testing and debugging are key parts of development. We’ll start with the Symfony Debug Toolbar—a powerful diagnostic tool—then move into writing unit tests using PHPUnit, with a focus on testing controllers and services.
You’ll also explore database integration testing to ensure your components work together as expected. With clear examples, this chapter will help you write tests that are both effective and efficient.
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GitLab & CI/CD Integration
Reading time: ~50min
Automation is a crucial part of modern development. This chapter explains what CI/CD is and why it matters for Symfony projects. Using GitLab as a reference, you’ll learn how to configure continuous integration with a `.gitlab-ci.yml` file.
Practical examples will show you how to automate testing, building, and deploying your app—making your workflow faster and more reliable. This chapter is perfect for anyone looking to level up their dev process.
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Application Deployment
Reading time: ~1.5h
Once your app is ready, it's time to go live. This chapter covers how to choose a production environment based on your project’s needs, how to configure the production server, and how to run your application in that environment.
It also includes tips on monitoring performance and maintaining efficiency—making the deployment process clear and manageable.
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Further Application Development
Reading time: ~40min
The final chapter focuses on long-term maintenance and growth. You’ll learn how to update Symfony to benefit from the latest features and security improvements, and how to refactor your codebase to keep it scalable and clean.
We’ll also discuss performance optimization and how to plan future development, so your app can evolve along with your business goals.
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