Request Flow, Includes, and Configuration

Procedural PHP works best when each file has a single responsibility. This lesson covers the bootstrapping pattern used in the site: config first, shared helpers next, then the route file itself.

Learn how to keep public entry points thin while still making the application easy to read and maintain.

Edit the panels below and press Run to preview. Nothing you type here is saved — refreshing the page restores the original starter code.

<main class="app-shell">\n  <h1>Procedural PHP</h1>\n  <p>Plan the request flow before writing features.</p>\n</main>

body {\n  font-family: system-ui, sans-serif;\n  margin: 2rem;\n  line-height: 1.6;\n}\n\n.app-shell {\n  max-width: 48rem;\n  margin: 0 auto;\n}

// This lesson is about PHP structure, not front-end logic.\nconsole.log("Request flow lesson loaded");