<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<feed xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xml:lang="en-US">
                        <id>https://www.florindobre.ro/feed</id>
                                <link href="https://www.florindobre.ro/feed" rel="self"></link>
                                <title><![CDATA[Blog feed]]></title>
                    
                                <subtitle>Florin Dobre PHP Developer - Tutorials, coding, laravel, tips and tricks, REST api, mysql, database, symphony, boostrap, html, css, mongodb</subtitle>
                                                    <updated>2026-04-17T08:46:14+00:00</updated>
                        <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[Hello World !]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://www.florindobre.ro/blog/hello-world" />
            <id>https://www.florindobre.ro/blog/hello-world</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Florin Dobre]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[Hello World

Finally! I am very happy that I launched this blog, an idea I had for some time. And, no, it's not a Wordpress: P. From 0 to blog, using Laravel framework and JavaScript. Did I get your attention? I will tell more in future posts, so, stick around & keep your eyes open.

Intro

Howdy ! I am Florin and thank you for reading this post.


Compaq P500


I am proud to be part of the first line of Generation Z and I can even say that I was born at the beginning of technology in Romania . I had contact with the first computer when I was 6 years old, a desktop PC with Windows 3.0, being visiting with parents to some family friends. Do you remember the sound of the floppy disks? What about the keyboard? Unmistakable! It was the moment when the wheels of my brain began to spin at full speed. Basically, I was fascinated by a metal box with a noisy keyboard and a monitor with several icons displayed of which I did not understand much. And two years later I got the first computer. Yes! That Compaq with a 500mghz Intel processor. What times...

My desire towards inforamtics profile took on an increasingly robust outline for which my skills and knowledge about ICT (Information and Communication Technology) developed harmoniously. The first results appear in the gymnasium, participating for 3 years in a row in the ICT Olympics with very good results and I am declared the school's computer scientist. At the proposal of the high school principal, I am involved as DTP (Desktop publishing) for Micul Albatros magazine and later, Agora magazine, which involves content creation, technical editing and the development of a magazine layout / design. Through a partnership between high school and Oracle Academy, I support my first certification from the portfolio - Award of Course Completion for Database Design and Programming with SQL. I am a devoted person with simple principles, which is why I learned all 12 classes in the same high school - Spiru C. Haret from Buzau.

I never give up my dream of becoming a programmer and I manage to be admitted to the University of Transylvania - Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics in Brasov. From the faculty benches, I take the first steps to apply for a job in the true sense of the word and after a few junior experiences I manage to have my own programmer's office at GoSocial Development. A great period, where I spent 5 years consolidating my position as a PHP backend developer. The experience I live now at Arnia Software involves being up to date with the technologies used and through this blog I hope to send you as much of my tech knowledge and all kinds of tips & tricks that I use daily but also useful information that I have obtained from other developers.

Here are some funny facts about me:


	I live in Brasov
	I am married to my wife Daniela
	I am passionate about motorcycles and I own one
	I am addicted to coffee, music and Chinese food
	I play guitar from time to time
	I love nature and its landscapes
]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-04-17T08:46:14+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[What You'll Find Here]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://www.florindobre.ro/blog/what-youll-find-here" />
            <id>https://www.florindobre.ro/blog/what-youll-find-here</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Florin Dobre]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[In this post I will explain exactly what you will find here now and in the future.


	        Tutorials and technical guides: I will include step-by-step guides and tutorials about PHP in general. The posts are intended for both beginners and seniors and I will try to describe in a detailed manner, how to use some personal ideas.
	        Code snippets and project examples: in which I will try to explain different programming concepts and techniques. You can even 'steal' them.
	        Personal experiences and perspectives: ways of software development, debugging, testing and working in teams. Hmm, let's talk about behind-the-scenes details about the day-to-day challenges of a programmer's work.
	        News and updates: developments in the world of programming, updates of some frameworks and future events.
	        Opinion articles and analysis: I try to describe the best practices, trends and future developments.
	        Book Reviews and Resources: Reviews of various books, courses and other resources for programmers.


Start!]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-04-14T17:56:47+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[Laravel 10 News]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://www.florindobre.ro/blog/laravel-10-news" />
            <id>https://www.florindobre.ro/blog/laravel-10-news</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Florin Dobre]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[https://laravel-news.com/laravel-10]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2025-08-03T08:22:53+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[5 reasons why EVERY PROGRAMMER should have a BLOG!]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://www.florindobre.ro/blog/5-reasons-why-every-programmer-should-have-a-blog" />
            <id>https://www.florindobre.ro/blog/5-reasons-why-every-programmer-should-have-a-blog</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Florin Dobre]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[As a programmer, you are constantly learning and growing in your field. You have a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with others. That's where having a blog comes in.

Blogging allows you to document your journey as a programmer, share your thoughts and insights on new technologies, and connect with other professionals in the industry. It's a great way to showcase your skills and establish yourself as an expert in your field.

But the benefits of having a blog go beyond just personal branding. A blog can also help you improve your own skills and knowledge. By writing about what you're learning, you're forcing yourself to really understand the material and articulate it in a way that others can understand.

In addition, having a blog can open up opportunities for collaboration and networking. By sharing your work and thoughts on your blog, you may attract the attention of other professionals in your field who are interested in working with you or learning from you.

Blogging requires you to clearly articulate your thoughts and ideas, which can help improve your communication skills. This is particularly important for programmers, who often work in collaborative environments and need to be able to clearly convey their ideas to team members.

But perhaps the most important reason for programmers to have a blog is to contribute to the larger tech community. The tech industry is constantly evolving, and having a platform to share your thoughts and experiences can help others learn and grow as well.

So, don't be afraid to start a blog as a programmer. It can be a valuable tool for personal and professional growth, as well as a way to give back to the tech community. The benefits far outweigh any initial hesitation or fear. Start sharing your knowledge and experiences today!]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-04-16T17:55:11+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[Few of the Most  Common  Composer Commands]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://www.florindobre.ro/blog/the-most-common-composer-commands" />
            <id>https://www.florindobre.ro/blog/the-most-common-composer-commands</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Florin Dobre]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[Composer is a tool for managing dependencies in PHP, and I would not like to confuse it with a package manager. It creates a composer.json file that contains all the dependencies needed to run your project and then installs them in the  vendor  folder. I assume you are familiar with this tool, but a refresh is welcome anytime, by accessing this link.

How do I install it on linux?

1. Make sure you have everything you need to install the composer.


sudo apt update
sudo apt install wget php-cli php-zip unzip


 

2. Download the Composer installer.


wget -O - https://getcomposer.org/installer | sudo php -- --install-dir=/usr/local/bin --filename=composer


Composer is now installed on your system.

How do you check?


composer -n -V

OUTPUT:

Composer version 2.0.7 2020-11-13 17:31:06


 

# composer require vendor/package

Easy! This command will add a new mandatory dependency in composer.json, implicitly in your project. And of course you can add a specific version of an addiction in case you have any conflicts.

# composer install

Even if you didn't use the composer require command, this command will install the entire dependency package for a project, and I'm sure you've already done so.

# composer update

Abuse this command! Keep your project up-to-date with all technologies and the latest versions of addictions.
Or you can use it to update a package namely composer update vendor / package.

# composer outdated

You will be surprised how many outdated packages you can project. Try it!

# composer remove

If you choose to delete a specific dependency, you can use:


composer remove vendor/package


# composer dump-autoload

You have created a service, a provider, or simply added a few classes to the project, just do your magic. With this command, you tell the composer where to find them.]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-04-16T17:55:10+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[How to Publish  a PHP library  to packagist.org]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://www.florindobre.ro/blog/publish-a-php-library-to-packagistorg" />
            <id>https://www.florindobre.ro/blog/publish-a-php-library-to-packagistorg</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Florin Dobre]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[You want to publish a PHP library created on packagist.org. What do you have to do?


1. Your library must contain a composer.json file
You can do this by running the  composer init  command to generate a  composer.json  file.
Here, you'll  update  your library data, such as author, library name, and more. As an example:


{
  "name": "vendor_name/package_name",
  "description": "My package is awesome",
  "type": "library",
  "require": {
    "php": ">=7.3.0"
  },
  "license": "proprietary",
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Vendor Name",
      "email": "your@email.tld"
    }
  ],
  "minimum-stability": "dev"
}


 

For other information about composer.json proprieties you can be inspired by here.

2. Create an account on a platform  git , GitHub / GitLab / Butbucket or any platform you are familiar with and  publish  the latest version of the code that works according to your expectations.

3. It`s required to write a readme file. Here you will find the necessary information about the library but also information about  how to install  and  how to use.

4. Create an account at packagist.org and register the repository here.

Your library should be available at: https://packagist.org/packages/vendor_name/package_name

Hint! You can try to make package versioning using git tags. It will be useful for users to navigate through the source code and they are a benchmark for release points.

That`s simple, right?
 ]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-04-16T17:55:13+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
            <entry>
            <title><![CDATA[Laravel 8: Create a Custom Helper Function]]></title>
            <link rel="alternate" href="https://www.florindobre.ro/blog/laravel-8-create-a-custom-helper-function" />
            <id>https://www.florindobre.ro/blog/laravel-8-create-a-custom-helper-function</id>
            <author>
                <name><![CDATA[Florin Dobre]]></name>
            </author>
            <summary type="html">
                <![CDATA[I will explain what an helper function is and what it is used for?

A custom helper function is used to have an easy understandable code and they are designed to speed up and homogenize repetitive tasks. In other words, to make your life easier :). This function is not the main core of the application or even of any class.

Their purpose is global and they are declared public and static so that you can invoke it independently. They will get rid of duplicate code and you can use them anywhere in the application.

Hint! It should be mentioned that Laravel already contains a variety of auxiliary functions that you can apply in your projects and for this I recommend you to check beforehand, if the goal you want to achieve is found in one of the functions offered by the framework. You can see them all at this link.

As an example, I will try to create a function that adds a number of days to a chosen date.

First step:
I create the following file structure:
app/Helpers/helpers.php

Second step:
I desig the logic of the function:

if (!function_exists('add_days_to_date')) {
    /**
     * @param \Carbon\Carbon $date
     * @param $days
     * @return \Carbon\Carbon
     */
    function add_days_to_date(Carbon\Carbon $date, $days): \Carbon\Carbon
    {
        return $date->addDays($days);
    }
}

 

According to PHP coding standard, I write the name of the function (not to be confused with the method of a class) in lower case, delimited by underscore.

Third step:
I open composer.json file, in the root directory of the project. In the "autoload" key, I add the files in which I wrote the function / functions.


"autoload": {
         "files": [
            "app/Helper/helpers.php"
        ],

        "psr-4": {
            "App\\": "app/"
        },
        "classmap": [
            "database/seeds",
            "database/factories"
        ]
    }


 

Fourth step:
We run the  composer dump-autoload  command so that the created files are discovered.

At this point, you can use this feature  anywhere  in the app. Enjoy!]]>
            </summary>
                                    <updated>2026-04-16T17:55:12+00:00</updated>
        </entry>
    </feed>
