I started learning programming 4 months ago. So far I already know some javascript(and jquery), php, ajax html and CSS. Yesterday I saw for the first time in one of the stack forums a question about PHP frameworks (zend, codeigniter…etc).
I hope these questions are not very stupid, because I am a beginner so I don’t know much about this world yet, but my questions are:
1- Do I need to learn how to use a php framework if I just one to build ONE website?
2- Do websites nowadays rely more on AJAX + some php OR just PHP + some javascript?
3- How long does it take to learn and master a php framework like zend?
1) You don’t need to learn a PHP framework, and in fact if it’s the first website you’ve ever built I’d suggest building it without a framework just to get a feel for how PHP works when building a site. This way you understand things like database connections, session management, etc. that is often done behind the scenes with frameworks. Then later on try building it with a framework to get an idea for the design patterns and other features that a framework has built-in to avoid code repetition, security holes, etc.
2) I don’t know what the difference between AJAX + some PHP and just PHP + some javascript. AJAX is a part of Javascript, it isn’t a separate technology on its own.
Some websites use a lot of AJAX, some don’t. It really depends on what you want the website to do and your particular design: AJAX can provide a smoother feel to the site, but can have complications when it comes to things like back buttons and bookmarks.
3) Depends on what you’re doing with the framework: if you’re only using 10% of the features you certainly won’t become a master in any amount of time. It also depends on the complexity of the framework: I haven’t used Zend but I know that the more complex the framework, the longer it will take you to learn it.