Part 2: Building a Database-Driven Application with Claude Code, PHP & MySQL

October 31, 2025 Falcon Internet Team 21 views
Part 2: Building a Database-Driven Application with Claude Code, PHP & MySQL
Tutorials

Welcome back! In Part 1, we covered the basics of using Claude Code to build static websites. Now we're taking it to the next level: building a complete database-driven application using PHP and MySQL. By the end of this tutorial, you'll have a fully functional task checklist application running on your Mac.

What You'll Learn

  • Setting up a local PHP and MySQL development environment on macOS
  • Configuring MySQL for easy command-line access
  • Using Claude Code to build a database-driven PHP application
  • Running a local development server to test your work
  • Best practices for database security and connection management

Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:

  • A Mac running macOS (Monterey or later recommended)
  • VSCode with Claude Code extension installed (see Part 1)
  • Basic understanding of HTML and how websites work
  • Familiarity with the Terminal application

Step 1: Install PHP

Modern macOS versions come with PHP pre-installed, but it might be an older version. Let's check what you have:

php -v

If you see PHP 8.0 or later, you're good to go! If not, or if you prefer using Homebrew for package management, install the latest PHP:

brew install php

After installation, verify again with php -v. You should see something like PHP 8.3.x.

Step 2: Install MySQL

MySQL is the database system we'll use to store our application data. Here's how to install it using Homebrew:

# Install MySQL
brew install mysql

# Start MySQL service
brew services start mysql

# Secure your MySQL installation
mysql_secure_installation

During mysql_secure_installation, you'll be asked several questions:

  • Set root password: Choose a strong password and remember it!
  • Remove anonymous users: Yes
  • Disallow root login remotely: Yes
  • Remove test database: Yes
  • Reload privilege tables: Yes

Step 3: Configure MySQL for Easy Access

Typing your MySQL password every time gets tedious. Let's set up a .my.cnf file for easier access during development:

# Create the configuration file
nano ~/.my.cnf

Add these lines (replace your_password with your actual MySQL root password):

[client]
user=root
password=your_password
host=localhost

[mysql]
database=

[mysqldump]
user=root
password=your_password

Save and exit (Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter), then secure the file:

chmod 600 ~/.my.cnf

Important Security Note: The .my.cnf file stores your password in plain text, so it's only suitable for local development. Never use this approach on production servers or commit this file to version control!

Now you can access MySQL simply by typing:

mysql

No password prompt needed! Try it out, then exit with exit or quit.

Step 4: Create Your Project Database

Let's create a database for our task checklist application:

mysql -e "CREATE DATABASE task_checklist CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci;"
mysql -e "SHOW DATABASES;"

You should see task_checklist in the list of databases.

Step 5: Set Up Your Project Directory

Create a new folder for your project:

mkdir ~/Projects/task-checklist
cd ~/Projects/task-checklist

Open this folder in VSCode:

code .

Step 6: Use Claude Code to Build the Application

Now comes the fun part! Open Claude Code in VSCode and give it this detailed prompt:

"Create a task checklist application using PHP and MySQL with the following features:

1. A database table called 'tasks' with columns: id (auto-increment), title (varchar 255), description (text), completed (boolean), created_at (timestamp)

2. Create a config.php file for database connection with these credentials:

  • host: localhost
  • database: task_checklist
  • username: root
  • password: [your MySQL password]

3. Create an index.php file with:

  • A form to add new tasks
  • Display all tasks in a nice table
  • Checkbox to mark tasks as complete/incomplete
  • Delete button for each task
  • Modern, clean CSS styling

4. Create AJAX handlers for adding, updating, and deleting tasks without page refresh

5. Include proper error handling and SQL injection prevention using prepared statements

6. Add a SQL file (schema.sql) to create the database table"

Claude Code will generate all the necessary files. You'll typically get:

  • config.php - Database connection configuration
  • schema.sql - Database table structure
  • index.php - Main application interface
  • api.php or separate handlers - AJAX endpoints for CRUD operations
  • styles.css - Styling for your application

Step 7: Initialize the Database

Claude Code will have created a schema.sql file. Import it into your database:

mysql task_checklist < schema.sql

Verify the table was created:

mysql task_checklist -e "DESCRIBE tasks;"

Step 8: Start Your Development Server

PHP includes a built-in development server that's perfect for testing. Start it with:

php -S localhost:8000

You'll see output like:

[Thu Oct 31 16:00:00 2025] PHP 8.3.0 Development Server (http://localhost:8000) started

Now open your browser and visit:

http://localhost:8000

You should see your task checklist application running! Try adding tasks, marking them complete, and deleting them.

Step 9: Iterating with Claude Code

The beauty of Claude Code is how easy it is to enhance your application. Try asking for improvements:

  • "Add a priority field to tasks (low, medium, high) with color coding"
  • "Add a due date field with calendar picker"
  • "Sort tasks by completion status and creation date"
  • "Add a search/filter feature"
  • "Make the interface mobile-responsive"
  • "Add user authentication with login/logout"

Claude Code will modify your existing files and explain the changes it made.

Understanding the Code

Let's break down the key components Claude Code created:

Database Connection (config.php)

<?php
$host = 'localhost';
$db = 'task_checklist';
$user = 'root';
$pass = 'your_password';

try {
    $pdo = new PDO("mysql:host=$host;dbname=$db;charset=utf8mb4", $user, $pass);
    $pdo->setAttribute(PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE, PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION);
} catch(PDOException $e) {
    die("Connection failed: " . $e->getMessage());
}
?>

This uses PDO (PHP Data Objects) for secure database connections and prepared statements to prevent SQL injection.

Prepared Statements for Security

// Safe way to insert data
$stmt = $pdo->prepare("INSERT INTO tasks (title, description) VALUES (?, ?)");
$stmt->execute([$title, $description]);

Never concatenate user input directly into SQL queries! Prepared statements automatically escape dangerous characters.

Development Tips

Debugging PHP

Add these lines to the top of your PHP files during development:

error_reporting(E_ALL);
ini_set('display_errors', 1);

This shows detailed error messages in your browser.

Checking Logs

If something goes wrong, check the PHP development server output in your terminal. You'll see HTTP requests and any errors.

Database Management Tools

Consider installing a GUI tool for MySQL:

  • phpMyAdmin: Web-based, feature-rich
  • Sequel Ace: Native Mac app, user-friendly (free)
  • TablePlus: Modern interface, supports multiple databases

Version Control

Don't forget to initialize a git repository:

git init
echo "config.php" > .gitignore  # Never commit database credentials!
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit: Task checklist application"

Common Issues and Solutions

Port Already in Use

If port 8000 is taken, use a different one:

php -S localhost:8080

MySQL Connection Refused

Make sure MySQL is running:

brew services list
brew services restart mysql

Permission Denied Errors

Check your MySQL user has proper permissions:

mysql -e "GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON task_checklist.* TO 'root'@'localhost';"
mysql -e "FLUSH PRIVILEGES;"

Taking It Further

Once you're comfortable with this basic application, consider these next steps:

  • Add User Authentication: Let multiple users have their own task lists
  • API Development: Create a REST API and separate frontend
  • Use a Framework: Try Laravel (PHP) or build the same app with Node.js and Express
  • Deploy to Production: Learn about hosting, domains, and SSL certificates
  • Add Real-time Features: Use WebSockets for multi-user collaboration

Need Professional Development Help?

Building database-driven applications is just the beginning. If you're working on a complex project that requires:

  • Custom database architecture and optimization
  • Scalable cloud infrastructure
  • AI/ML integration with your web applications
  • Production-ready deployment and monitoring
  • Team collaboration and DevOps pipelines

Falcon Internet specializes in building robust, scalable web applications with modern technology stacks. Our team has expertise in PHP, MySQL, cloud hosting, and AI-powered solutions.

Contact us today to discuss your project needs. Whether you need help architecting a new application, optimizing an existing one, or deploying to production infrastructure, we're here to help!

Conclusion

Congratulations! You've successfully set up a local PHP and MySQL development environment and built a complete database-driven application with Claude Code. You've learned about database connections, prepared statements, CRUD operations, and running a local development server.

The skills you've gained here form the foundation for building almost any web application. Keep experimenting, ask Claude Code questions when you're stuck, and most importantly—keep building!

In Part 3, we'll explore deploying your application to a production server and setting up a custom domain. Stay tuned!

Happy coding!

Tags

#Tutorial #Best Practices

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