How and where to understand the principle of organizing a project from small to large?

Question

Yii

Hello. There is an idea to rivet (but qualitatively) a good project. So far I have two hands, and I think that you need to start with a small, basic functionality (I think this is a good way out).
But how to organize everything correctly (from the families of pop-up windows to the distribution of actions) in the correct form I can only imagine approximately.
Since I myself draw, and make up, and code, both for business and for experience, I would like to know where you can get knowledge about the beauty of organizing projects.
I also want to make the site fast, and here the optimization of queries to the database. you can’t do it (it’s also a perversion to put HipHop on the server for such simple things), so I would also like to know where you can plunge into this topic well.
And the last thing: is it worth making the layout adaptive (using twitter bootstrap, for example), and what js/css libraries would you recommend.
Ps platform I think to take Yii.
Thank you for your attention.

Answer 1

As for queries: first, do everything with standard Yii tools, take speed measurements and only then optimize if the results are not satisfactory.

Answer 2

I would start by learning the term and the problem of premature optimization.

Answer 3

On optimization and scaling, I advise you to read:
- To speed up Yii - 9 steps to optimize Yii
- For a general strategy for project growth - Development for high loads

Answer 4

If you approach fundamentally, then you need to start with good books.
Recommended:
"Design Patterns" by E. Freeman, E. Freeman
"Perfect Code" by Steve McConnell