php-engineer-improve-tradesouthwest.php

<?php 
/**
 * This code retrieves course data from an external API and displays it in the user's
 * My Account area. A merchant has noticed that there's a delay when loading the page.
 * 
 * 1) What changes would you suggest to reduce or remove that delay?
 * 2) Is there any other code changes that you would make?
 */
//improvements
/**
 * Retrieve API Course data to display on user My Account section.
 * 
 * @param   string $api_user_id User ID for API 
 * @param   string $to_top      Could be called from method
 * @returns string $output      Clean data to display as HTML    
 * 
 * @since 9.9.9
 */
public function add_my_courses_section() {
    
    //If plugin method does not exists
    $current_user = wp_get_current_user();
        
    if ( 0 == $current_user->ID ) return; //Might be redundant as per calling _user_meta below
    
    //$api_user_id could be a function inside the class $this->get_helpers()->api_use_id()
    $api_user_id = get_user_meta( $current_user->ID, 
                                   '_external_api_user_id', 
                                   true 
                                );

    if ( ! $api_user_id ) return;
    
    //Two known class properties - May not need validation
    $courses  = $this->get_api()->get_courses_assigned_to_user( $api_user_id );
	$sso_link = $this->get_api()->get_sso_link( $api_user_id );
    
    //$to_top = $this->get_helpers()->to_top_html(); (maybe use terniary check) 
    $to_top   = '<a href="Apihead" title="' . esc_attr( 'back to top of chart', 'text-domain' ) . '">' 
                . esc_html__( 'Top', 'text-domain' ) . '</a>';
    
    //$output
    ob_start();
    $str         = "&#37;";
    $percent_str = html_entity_decode($str);
    echo '
	<h2 class="marg-top-md">' . esc_html__( 'My Courses', 'text-domain' ) . '</h2>
	<table>
		<thead id="Apihead"><tr>
			<th>' . esc_html__( 'Course Code', 'text-domain' ) . '</th>
			<th>' . esc_html__( 'Course Title', 'text-domain' ) . '</th>
			<th>' . esc_html__( 'Completion', 'text-domain' ) . '</th>
			<th>' . esc_html__( 'Date Completed', 'text-domain' ) . '</th>
		</tr></thead>
        <tbody>';
        
		foreach( $courses as $course ) :
            echo
            '<tr>
			<td>' . __( $course['Code'] ) . '</td>
			<td>' . __( $course['Name'] ) . '</td>
			<td>' . __( $course['PercentageComplete'] ) . $percent_str . '</td>
			<td>' . __( $course['DateCompleted'] ) . '</td>
			</tr>';
        endforeach;
        
        echo
        '</tbody>
            <tfoot>
            <tr>
                <td colspan="4">. ' . $to_top . '</td>
            </tr>
            </tfoot>
    </table>';
    
    //Can GET be called at this point or not?
    $active_course = ( empty ( $_GET['active_course'] ) ) ? '' : $_GET['active_course'];
    
    printf( '<p><a href="%s" target="_blank" class="button %s">%s</a></p>',
              $sso_link,
              $active_course,
              esc_html__( 'Course Login', 'text-domain' )
    );

    $output = ob_get_clean();

        //or echo if called by action hook
        return $output

        //Maybe use wp_remote_retrieve_response_code() or equivalent
}