Markov: Build a Text Generator
Feed it a book and it writes new sentences in the same voice. You build the great-grandparent of every language model, in about twenty lines.
What you'll be able to build
Feed it a book and it writes new sentences in the same voice. You build the great-grandparent of every language model, in about twenty lines. Along the way you pick up real, transferable PHP skills, not just this one project:
- an associative array of transitions
- building pairs from a token list
- seeding randomness for reproducibility
- weighted random selection
- a train-then-generate workflow
- accumulating output
A course like this one
Yours is built from your own placement, so module count and depth will differ. This map shows what a advanced-level PHP learner building Markov actually gets.
- Module 1: Idiomatic PHP: string functions and the array_* family5 lessons
Builds the production-ready version of the script for your markov.
- Module 2: Closures, arrow fns, and higher-order array functions5 lessons
Builds the production-ready version of the reusable class for your markov.
- Module 3: Classes, interfaces, traits, and type declarations5 lessons
Builds the production-ready version of the associative model for your markov.
- Module 4: array_map / filter / reduce and sorting associative data5 lessons
Builds the production-ready version of the array pipeline workflow for your markov.
- Module 5: Loose vs strict comparison and the match expression5 lessons
Builds the production-ready version of the function that powers your markov.
- Module 6: Exceptions, error contracts, and documented output3 lessons
Builds the production-ready version of the command-line tool for your markov.
How the lessons actually work
Every lesson has you predict what a piece of PHP code will output before you run it, then run it for real in your browser and fix what you got wrong. Each module ends in a challenge gate with hidden tests, so you can't advance until your code actually works. The course closes with a capstone that assembles everything into Markov, and a runnable proof page tied to your own code.
Common questions
How long does the Markov: Build a Text Generator course take?
about 7 hours, across 6 modules and 28 lessons, at roughly 15 minutes per lesson. Your own course may run shorter or longer, since it's sized to your placement result, not a fixed template.
Do I need experience?
Yes. This is an advanced-tier PHP project, so it assumes you're already comfortable writing and reading PHP before you start.
How much does it cost?
$15 one-time, no subscription. The first module is free, so you can see exactly how the course teaches before you pay for the rest.