I was a highly regarded PHP developer way back in the days when we wrote entire websites and scripts from scratch. I got out once every client asked me to work on their framework where I had to memorize the custom functions they used with tons of clutter and way too many lines of code to do simple tasks that I could fit on two lines instead of 50. Not to mention now you can Google search how to code pretty much anything. I completely changed careers but now I have a ton of free time and wonder if I should get back to coding on the side. Though now I see you have to use mysqli and other changes it is just annoying IMO not knowing when they will change everything again and you have to throw away your old knowledge and adapt to the new unnecessary changes.
You can still program structurally in php as in the old days and create simple services, but changes to the language over the decade have led to the fact that you now program object-oriented and primarily use frameworks. Being able to write something from scratch is certainly useful, but you will now have to learn how to use frameworks and libraries.
as they say, such is the "selyavi" unfortunately in the world of programming everything is changeable, you have to learn constantly
For some of us that's what makes IT interesting. If you learn incrementally you're never throwing away old knowledge, you're just adding new things.
No, as I have written above, certain people still use the FORTRAN IV language for the complicated numerical computations, certain people still use the old versions of the COBOL language for the serious business purposes, and so on. Everyone just has to find their own place in this world.
Many of those changes were not "unnecessary". Take the long dead mysql_ rubbish, where it was global in scope, insecure, had no prepare/execute model, and actively encouraged people to shit values into their query strings. And really mysqli isn't as much of an improvement as PDO, though I have to ask just how out of date are you, since we were SUPPOSED to stop using mysql_ functions with PHP 5.2 some 17 years ago. That said, frameworks are just huffing dumbass code bloat bullshit used by people not qualified to write PHP in the first place. Just as HTML/CSS frameworks are ignorant incompetent halfwitted garbage CREATED by people unqualified to write a single blasted like of HTML. So I feel you on that. The really sad part being so much of the trash people use frameworks for in PHP is to fix things that have been natively fixed in the language for over a decade. But that's what happens when developers refuse to pull their cranium out of the late '90's rectum. But of course when you call them on that, they have the gall to accuse you of being the one stuck in the past. What a crock.