Passing the PHP 5.3 ZCE exam
I passed the PHP 5.3 ZCE exam
Today I passed the exam to become a PHP 5.3 ZCE. Like everyone else I had to sign the non-disclosure contract so I can’t go into detail about the questions that were asked, I can however tell my impressions of the exam and how prepared for it.
Differences with the previous exam
The first thing I noticed when I bought the PHP 5.3 exam voucher was that there was no option to order a bundle of preparation tests. There was however a free study guide. The new study guide can not be compared with the previous php|architect’s Zend PHP 5 Certification Study Guide. Were the new free study guide gives a quick overview (including some example questions) of each topic in the exam the original study guide starts with basics of PHP and really covers each topic thorough, except for the new PHP 5.3 features.
How did I prepare myself?
After reading the “old” study guide I found it was time to test my current knowledge about PHP 5. I luckily still had some preparation tests available from the previous PHP 5 exam. I took the exam with the following result:
Not bad at all, but again I realized how much problems I had with streams, I also got a fail for PHP4 vs PHP5 but that was nothing to worry about because thats a topic that doesn’t occur anymore on the new exam. Streams did worry me because I had read that this was a topic that would be definitely tested on the new exam. For the people that still have the preparation tests for the PHP 5 exam I recommend using them, for the people that don’t have an tests left but own a iPad of iPhone I recommend buying the app of PhpRiot (discussed further on).
My opinion about the new exam
I did found the new exam a bit more difficult then the previous one. I do think however the new exam is improved a lot over the old one, I still found some trick questions in the exam, but the trick questions I now encountered were questions that really tested your basic insight in PHP and the ability to observe what the code does. The exam did contain a lot more open questions to be filled in the the previous one, sometimes a function name was asked, sometimes the result of a piece of code. First I was doubting if I should take the exam because I already owned the PHP 5 ZCE certification. I now can say I’m very glad I took the exam, it differs enough from the previous one to be considered as a completely new exam.
Reading list
Below I wrote down a list I absolutely recommend to read before taking the exam. Another tool that was useful to me while preparing was the PhpRiot iPad/iPhone Application. The application contains the offline PHP manual, shortcut to the PhpRiot articles and “Quiz training to help you become a Zend Certified Engineer”, the questions in the quiz can be compared with the actual exam. The application itself is free but only contains 6 quiz sample questions, other questions must be bought. ZCE PHP Training bundles I bought for the application:
- ZCE PHP Training: Arrays 1 (36 questions)
- ZCE PHP Training: Strings 1 (40 questions)
- ZCE PHP Training: Web Features 1 (39 questions)
- ZCE PHP Training: Basics 1 (55 questions)
Blogs
Michelangelo van Dam (DragonBe) about his preparation, thanks for the heads up!
Steven Lloyd Watkin about his experience with the new exam
Lorna Jane her preparation, also check out her other great articles about the new PHP 5.3 features!
Another great article to read, some useful tips for the exam, read carefully
Interesting PHP.net links
Key features of PHP 5.3.0
SPL (study the Graphical Class Hierarchy carefully)
Predefined interfaces
Late static binding
Namespaces
Closures
PHP Date Objects
PCRE
Sprintf
Date and time
Date
strftime
Streams
Compression wrappers
Compression Filters
Thanks to the PHP community
Besides to links above I would also recommend to look at all string and array functions. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the content on the links above. Special thanks to DragonBe and LornaJane for publishing great slideshare presentations and blogposts. I would also like to thank my colleagues at e-sites for arguing with me about general PHP topics each working day π
Good luck to everyone who’s planning to take this exam!
ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΈΠ΅ Π³Π°ΡΠ΄ΠΈΠ½Ρ Π΄Π»Ρ ΡΡΠΎΡ [url=karnizy-s-elektroprivodom-cena.ru]karnizy-s-elektroprivodom-cena.ru[/url] .
karnizi s elektroprivodom cena_snkr
13 Sep 25 at 2:43 am
ΠΊΡΠΏΠΈΡΡ Π΄ΠΈΠΏΠ»ΠΎΠΌ Π²ΡΡΡΠ΅Π³ΠΎ ΠΎΠ±ΡΠ°Π·ΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΡ Ρ Π·Π°Π½Π΅ΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ΠΌ Π² ΡΠ΅Π΅ΡΡΡ [url=https://arus-diplom33.ru]ΠΊΡΠΏΠΈΡΡ Π΄ΠΈΠΏΠ»ΠΎΠΌ Π²ΡΡΡΠ΅Π³ΠΎ ΠΎΠ±ΡΠ°Π·ΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΡ Ρ Π·Π°Π½Π΅ΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ΠΌ Π² ΡΠ΅Π΅ΡΡΡ[/url] .
Diplomi_qtSa
13 Sep 25 at 2:44 am
Π²ΡΡΡΠ΅Π΅ ΠΎΠ±ΡΠ°Π·ΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΠ΅ ΠΊΡΠΏΠΈΡΡ Π΄ΠΈΠΏΠ»ΠΎΠΌ Ρ Π·Π°Π½Π΅ΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ΠΌ [url=educ-ua17.ru]Π²ΡΡΡΠ΅Π΅ ΠΎΠ±ΡΠ°Π·ΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΠ΅ ΠΊΡΠΏΠΈΡΡ Π΄ΠΈΠΏΠ»ΠΎΠΌ Ρ Π·Π°Π½Π΅ΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ΠΌ[/url] .
Diplomi_tuSl
13 Sep 25 at 3:05 am
ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ· Ρ ΠΏΡΠΈΠ²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠΌ Π΄Π»Ρ ΡΡΠΎΡ [url=avtomaticheskie-karnizy.ru]avtomaticheskie-karnizy.ru[/url] .
avtomaticheskie karnizi_szSa
13 Sep 25 at 3:19 am
ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΈΠ΅ ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ·Ρ ΠΊΡΠΏΠΈΡΡ [url=http://www.elektro-karniz77.ru]http://www.elektro-karniz77.ru[/url] .
elektro karniz_tiSl
13 Sep 25 at 3:21 am
ΠΊΡΠΏΠΈΡΡ Π΄ΠΈΠΏΠ»ΠΎΠΌ ΠΎ Π²ΡΡΡΠ΅ΠΌ ΠΎΠ±ΡΠ°Π·ΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΠΈ ΡΠΊΡΠ°ΠΈΠ½Π° [url=http://educ-ua6.ru/]ΠΊΡΠΏΠΈΡΡ Π΄ΠΈΠΏΠ»ΠΎΠΌ ΠΎ Π²ΡΡΡΠ΅ΠΌ ΠΎΠ±ΡΠ°Π·ΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΠΈ ΡΠΊΡΠ°ΠΈΠ½Π°[/url] .
Diplomi_ezMl
13 Sep 25 at 3:21 am
ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ·Ρ ΡΠ΅Π½Π° [url=http://www.elektrokarniz-cena.ru]ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ·Ρ ΡΠ΅Π½Π°[/url] .
elektrokarniz cena_vmPL
13 Sep 25 at 3:44 am
ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΊΡΠ°Π½ΠΈΠ·Ρ [url=https://avtomaticheskie-karnizy.ru]https://avtomaticheskie-karnizy.ru[/url] .
avtomaticheskie karnizi_itSa
13 Sep 25 at 3:46 am
Π°Π²ΡΠΎΠΌΠ°ΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΈΠ΅ Π³Π°ΡΠ΄ΠΈΠ½Ρ Π΄Π»Ρ ΡΡΠΎΡ [url=https://www.elektro-karniz77.ru]https://www.elektro-karniz77.ru[/url] .
elektro karniz_qnSl
13 Sep 25 at 4:12 am
Π³Π°ΡΠ΄ΠΈΠ½Π° Ρ ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΏΡΠΈΠ²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠΌ [url=www.karnizy-s-elektroprivodom-cena.ru]www.karnizy-s-elektroprivodom-cena.ru[/url] .
karnizi s elektroprivodom cena_kokr
13 Sep 25 at 4:14 am
ΠΊΡΠΏΠΈΡΡ Π΄ΠΈΠΏΠ»ΠΎΠΌ Π·Π°Π½Π΅ΡΠ΅Π½Π½ΡΠΉ ΡΠ΅Π΅ΡΡΡ [url=http://ujkh.ru/forum.php?PAGE_NAME=profile_view&UID=138670]http://ujkh.ru/forum.php?PAGE_NAME=profile_view&UID=138670[/url] .
Zakazat diplom ob obrazovanii!_fnkt
13 Sep 25 at 4:25 am
ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ·Ρ ΡΠ΅Π½Π° [url=www.elektrokarniz-cena.ru]ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ·Ρ ΡΠ΅Π½Π°[/url] .
elektrokarniz cena_plPL
13 Sep 25 at 4:30 am
ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΈΠΉ ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ· Π΄Π»Ρ ΡΡΠΎΡ ΠΊΡΠΏΠΈΡΡ [url=https://karnizy-s-elektroprivodom-cena.ru/]https://karnizy-s-elektroprivodom-cena.ru/[/url] .
karnizi s elektroprivodom cena_yukr
13 Sep 25 at 4:40 am
ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ· Ρ ΠΏΡΠΈΠ²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠΌ Π΄Π»Ρ ΡΡΠΎΡ [url=www.elektro-karniz77.ru]www.elektro-karniz77.ru[/url] .
elektro karniz_bfSl
13 Sep 25 at 4:41 am
ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ· Ρ ΠΏΡΠΈΠ²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠΌ Π΄Π»Ρ ΡΡΠΎΡ [url=http://avtomaticheskie-karnizy.ru]http://avtomaticheskie-karnizy.ru[/url] .
avtomaticheskie karnizi_gcSa
13 Sep 25 at 4:41 am
ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ·Ρ Π΄Π»Ρ ΡΡΠΎΡ Ρ ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΏΡΠΈΠ²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠΌ [url=elektrokarniz-cena.ru]ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ·Ρ Π΄Π»Ρ ΡΡΠΎΡ Ρ ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΏΡΠΈΠ²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠΌ[/url] .
elektrokarniz cena_haPL
13 Sep 25 at 4:56 am
Π°Π²ΡΠΎΠΌΠ°ΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΈΠ΅ ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ·Ρ [url=https://elektro-karniz77.ru/]elektro-karniz77.ru[/url] .
elektro karniz_rjSl
13 Sep 25 at 5:07 am
ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ· Ρ ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΏΡΠΈΠ²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠΌ [url=https://avtomaticheskie-karnizy.ru/]ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ· Ρ ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΏΡΠΈΠ²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠΌ[/url] .
avtomaticheskie karnizi_uaSa
13 Sep 25 at 5:07 am
http://zagranica.by/contacts.html
ChrisBooff
13 Sep 25 at 5:07 am
ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ· ΠΌΠΎΡΠΊΠ²Π° [url=https://karnizy-s-elektroprivodom-cena.ru]https://karnizy-s-elektroprivodom-cena.ru[/url] .
karnizi s elektroprivodom cena_xckr
13 Sep 25 at 5:12 am
ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ· Ρ ΠΏΡΠΈΠ²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠΌ [url=avtomaticheskie-karnizy-dlya-shtor.ru]ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ· Ρ ΠΏΡΠΈΠ²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠΌ[/url] .
avtomaticheskie karnizi dlya shtor_ajOr
13 Sep 25 at 5:16 am
ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ·Ρ ΡΠ΅Π½Π° [url=https://elektrokarniz-cena.ru/]ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ·Ρ ΡΠ΅Π½Π°[/url] .
elektrokarniz cena_uzPL
13 Sep 25 at 5:19 am
1Ρ ΡΡΠ°Π²ΠΊΠ° ΡΠΊΠ°ΡΠ°ΡΡ [url=https://1win12005.ru/]1Ρ ΡΡΠ°Π²ΠΊΠ° ΡΠΊΠ°ΡΠ°ΡΡ[/url]
1win_psol
13 Sep 25 at 5:19 am
ΠΊΡΠΏΠΈΡΡ Π΄ΠΈΠΏΠ»ΠΎΠΌ ΠΊΠΈΠ΅Π² ΡΠΊΠΎΠ»ΡΠΊΠΎ [url=https://educ-ua1.ru]ΠΊΡΠΏΠΈΡΡ Π΄ΠΈΠΏΠ»ΠΎΠΌ ΠΊΠΈΠ΅Π² ΡΠΊΠΎΠ»ΡΠΊΠΎ[/url] .
Diplomi_wcei
13 Sep 25 at 5:20 am
ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ· [url=www.avtomaticheskie-karnizy.ru]ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ·[/url] .
avtomaticheskie karnizi_gxSa
13 Sep 25 at 5:32 am
ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ·Ρ Π΄Π»Ρ ΡΡΠΎΡ Ρ ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΏΡΠΈΠ²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠΌ [url=https://elektro-karniz77.ru]https://elektro-karniz77.ru[/url] .
elektro karniz_qySl
13 Sep 25 at 5:32 am
ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ·Ρ Π΄Π»Ρ ΡΡΠΎΡ Ρ ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΏΡΠΈΠ²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠΌ [url=www.karnizy-s-elektroprivodom-cena.ru/]ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ·Ρ Π΄Π»Ρ ΡΡΠΎΡ Ρ ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΏΡΠΈΠ²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠΌ[/url] .
karnizi s elektroprivodom cena_tekr
13 Sep 25 at 5:37 am
ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ· Π΄Π²ΡΡ ΡΡΠ΄Π½ΡΠΉ [url=https://elektrokarniz-cena.ru]https://elektrokarniz-cena.ru[/url] .
elektrokarniz cena_jbPL
13 Sep 25 at 5:43 am
ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ·Ρ ΡΠ΅Π½Π° [url=https://karniz-s-elektroprivodom.ru/]ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ·Ρ ΡΠ΅Π½Π°[/url] .
karniz s elektroprivodom_naKt
13 Sep 25 at 5:52 am
ΠΊΡΠΏΠΈΡΡ Π°ΡΡΠ΅ΡΡΠ°Ρ 9 ΠΊΠ»Π°ΡΡ Ρ ΡΠ΅Π΅ΡΡΡΠΎΠΌ [url=http://www.educ-ua2.ru]http://www.educ-ua2.ru[/url] .
Diplomi_msOt
13 Sep 25 at 5:52 am
ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ·Ρ Π΄Π»Ρ ΡΡΠΎΡ ΠΊΡΠΏΠΈΡΡ [url=www.avtomaticheskie-karnizy-dlya-shtor.ru/]ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ·Ρ Π΄Π»Ρ ΡΡΠΎΡ ΠΊΡΠΏΠΈΡΡ[/url] .
avtomaticheskie karnizi dlya shtor_tuOr
13 Sep 25 at 5:57 am
ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΊΡΠ°Π½ΠΈΠ·Ρ [url=http://avtomaticheskie-karnizy.ru/]http://avtomaticheskie-karnizy.ru/[/url] .
avtomaticheskie karnizi_yxSa
13 Sep 25 at 6:00 am
ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΎΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ·Ρ ΠΌΠΎΡΠΊΠ²Π° [url=http://elektro-karniz77.ru/]http://elektro-karniz77.ru/[/url] .
elektro karniz_ulSl
13 Sep 25 at 6:00 am
ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ· Π΄Π»Ρ ΡΡΠΎΡ ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΈΠΉ [url=http://karnizy-s-elektroprivodom-cena.ru/]ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ· Π΄Π»Ρ ΡΡΠΎΡ ΡΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΈΠΉ[/url] .
karnizi s elektroprivodom cena_vakr
13 Sep 25 at 6:05 am