// courses.component.ts (standalone component, Angular 17+)
import { Component } from '@angular/core';

@Component({
  selector: 'app-courses',
  standalone: true,
  template: `
    <h2>Courses</h2>
    <ul>
      @for (c of courses; track c.id) {
        <li>{{ c.title }}</li>
      }
    </ul>
  `,
})
export class CoursesComponent {
  courses = [
    { id: 1, title: 'Web Basics' },
    { id: 2, title: 'Backend APIs' },
  ];
}

<?php
// courses.php — rendered on the server
$courses = [
    ['id' => 1, 'title' => 'Web Basics'],
    ['id' => 2, 'title' => 'Backend APIs'],
];
?>
<h2>Courses</h2>
<ul>
  <?php foreach ($courses as $c): ?>
    <li><?= htmlspecialchars($c['title']) ?></li>
  <?php endforeach; ?>
</ul>

// course.service.ts
import { Injectable, inject } from '@angular/core';
import { HttpClient } from '@angular/common/http';
import { Observable } from 'rxjs';

export interface Course { id: number; title: string; }

@Injectable({ providedIn: 'root' })
export class CourseService {
  private http = inject(HttpClient);

  list(): Observable<Course[]> {
    return this.http.get<Course[]>('/api/courses');
  }

  create(title: string): Observable<Course> {
    return this.http.post<Course>('/api/courses', { title });
  }
}
// Remember provideHttpClient() in the app config

<?php
// routes/api.php
use App\Models\Course;
use Illuminate\Http\Request;
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Route;

Route::get('/courses', fn () => Course::orderBy('title')->get(['id', 'title']));

Route::post('/courses', function (Request $request) {
    $data = $request->validate([
        'title' => 'required|string|max:120',
    ]);
    return response()->json(Course::create($data), 201);
});

Which sounds more like you?
☐ I enjoy designing interactions and layouts      → Angular
☐ I enjoy data, logic and databases               → PHP
☐ I want freelance website work                   → PHP + WordPress
☐ I want large enterprise frontend projects       → Angular
Also check: which appears more in job posts near you?

Before Angular or PHP (3-4 weeks)
HTML:       semantic tags, forms, accessibility basics
CSS:        flexbox, grid, responsive design
JavaScript: variables, functions, arrays, objects, DOM, fetch, promises
HTTP:       methods, status codes, JSON
Git:        commit, push, branches

Weeks 1-2: HTML, CSS, JavaScript refresh, TypeScript basics
Weeks 3-4: Angular components, templates, data binding, control flow
Weeks 5-6: Services, dependency injection, HttpClient, routing
Weeks 7-8: Reactive forms, validation, a small dashboard app

Weeks 1-2: PHP syntax, arrays, functions, forms, sessions
Weeks 3-4: MySQL with PDO, prepared statements
Weeks 5-6: Laravel routes, controllers, Eloquent, migrations
Weeks 7-8: Laravel API with validation and authentication

Course catalogue app
☐ Laravel API: list, create, update, delete courses
☐ Validation and proper status codes
☐ Angular app: list view, add form, edit form
☐ Error messages for failed requests
☐ README with setup for both parts