Strategy is one of those patterns that seems like unnecessary complexity on first contact. Why wrap a single algorithm in a separate class? The value only becomes clear with a second and third algorithm – when instead of a growing if-else you have clean, interchangeable code. I show how it works in PHP and where Magento 2 uses this pattern without you realising it.

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Everyone starts with var_dump() and die(). But after a few years working with PHP and Magento 2, those methods start to hurt – especially when debugging a complex order flow with dozens of plugins. I show how to set up Xdebug and why it is worth doing once, properly.

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