Level 1 exam — PHP · GUIDINEE.COM

Exam — fresh questions

12 questions to validate PHP language basics: variables, conditions, loops, functions, arrays and strings.
Answer everything, then click Check: your score and explanations will appear.

1.1 · Recall

1. Which comparison to prefer in modern PHP, and why?

=== (strict: value AND type, predictable) = (assignment is also enough to compare) == (loose, with automatic conversion) No matter, all three are equivalent

=== compares without conversion: predictable, and safe for sensitive values.

1.1 · Application

2. Riad joins "Total: " and the amount $total. Correct writing?

$msg = 'Total: ' . $total; $msg = 'Total: ', $total; $msg = 'Total: ' + $total; $msg = 'Total: ' & $total;

In PHP strings are joined with the DOT; + computes instead of joining.

1.2 · Recall

3. Which value does PHP consider "falsy" in a tricky way?

A non-empty array A string like 'hello' The string '0' (and the number 0) The number 42

'0' is falsy: if ($x) treats it as missing — test explicitly.

1.2 · Application

4. Riad wants the requested page, or 1 if the parameter is missing — without wiping out a legitimate 0. Writing?

$page = $_GET['page'] + 1; $page = isset($_GET) ? 1 : 1; $page = $_GET['page'] ?? 1; $page = $_GET['page'] || 1;

?? triggers only on null/absence; the explicit 0 stays respected.

1.2 · Application

5. Riad's rate switch applies two rates at once. Likely cause?

The switch keyword itself is missing PHP does not support switch default is placed too early A forgotten break: execution falls into the next case

Without break, the switch continues into the next case (fall-through).

1.3 · Application

6. Riad displays each service of a $prestations array. Recommended loop?

foreach ($prestations as $prestation) { ... } while (true) with no exit condition for with no increment on a manual index goto to each element

foreach iterates with no manual index: simple, safe, no off-by-one error.

1.3 · Arbitration

7. Catalogue of 200 services: Riad looks for one name and stops as soon as he finds it. Call?

Iterate all 200 even after finding it, on principle Display without htmlspecialchars to go faster Count by hand rather than with count Use break as soon as the element is found — no need to iterate the rest

break avoids useless work; htmlspecialchars stays mandatory on display.

1.4 · Recall

8. A variable defined INSIDE a PHP function is…

Shared with all other functions Local: invisible outside (and vice versa) Automatically global Reachable everywhere in the script

Wanted isolation: everything enters via parameters, everything exits via return.

1.4 · Application

9. Riad writes prixTTC(float $ht, float $taux = 0.19): float. What does he gain?

Code slower to write with no benefit A documented interface and type errors caught early Being forbidden from calling the function more than once Nothing, it is purely decorative

Typing documents, catches wrong types and helps tooling.

1.5 · Application

10. Riad stores one service with its named name and rate. Adapted structure?

Separate $p1, $p2 variables One string with values stuck together One single number mixing everything An associative array ['nom' => ..., 'tarif' => ...]

Named data = associative: $prestation['tarif'] says what it holds.

1.5 · Arbitration

11. An accented title "Référencement" is measured at 14 by strlen instead of 13. Call?

Ignore the gap, it is negligible Use mb_strlen: strlen counts bytes, not characters Measure by hand every time Remove accents from titles

In UTF-8 an accented character weighs 2 bytes: mb_* counts characters right.

1.1 · Arbitration

12. Riad compares a reset token with == and a forged token passes. Call?

Display the token to check visually That is normal, tokens are not compared Compare tokens with === (or a dedicated function): == converts and can wrongly equalise Pass the token as a global to secure it

== with conversion can equalise different values: historic vulnerability — strict mandatory.

What's next?

Score ≥ 80%: move on to V3 Level 2 (forms, sessions, files and dates — server-side PHP that receives and processes data).
Score between 50% and 80%: revisit the failed sections (=== in 1.1, falsy in 1.2, foreach in 1.3, scope in 1.4, arrays in 1.5), re-read the explanations above, then retake the test.
Score < 50%: restart the level running each template locally — the basics (variables, conditions, loops) carry everything else.