Publication Date: 2005

So what makes this book different from the others? In a word – simplicity.

This book, more than any other I’ve read on PHP, is geared toward the total beginner. All you need to know is HTML and you should be comfortable.

The book opens up with a good chapter on installing PHP and MySQL on both Windows and MAC – many times this can the hardest part when learning this stuff!

NOTE: I personally believe you don’t need to learn how to install PHP since 99% of us will be using a hosting company that already has PHP and MySQL installed.

The author then does a good job in presenting the core concepts and techniques needed to effectively use PHP and MySQL using a series of easy to follow examples.

Rather than presenting the specification, the material is presented in a real-world context. That is to say, you are taught with examples of task that are commonly needed in the real world.

Things like:

* Interacting with HTML forms
* Interacting with a MYSQL database
* Using include files

Besides being taught the details of PHP programming and MySQL adminstration, you also learn how to put together a PHP/MySQL dynamic website. So not only do you get the details, you also get a global picture of the process …how all the pieces fit together.

A great beginners book to be sure and there is enough information for you to be able to start building simple database driven websites.

Once completed though, I would then consider a more comprehensive book that will get you into more of the down and dirty details.

PHP Hacks is essentially a collection of ‘bite-size’ PHP scripts that you can easily drop into your websites.

Besides being able to use the hacks straight away in your projects, the PHP code/hacks are clearly explained making them good tutorials for learning how you might do something in PHP.

SOME TOPICS/HACKS THAT STAND OUT:

• Creating a shopping cart.
• Using AJAX with JSON – a php library that makes working with AJAX easy.
• PEAR hacks like Net-Geo to find out state and city locations of people.
• A good examination of PHP design patterns.

Not exactly for beginners, but if you have an understanding of basic PHP you will be OK and you will learn a lot. This book is also good for programmers (from other languages) who want to get a good idea of what tools, libraries are available in the PHP world.

Another good book from O’reilly.

Co-written by the guy who invented PHP (Rasmus Lerdorf,) this is a must-buy book for anyone getting into PHP or web programming in general.

What can I say; this book is so well written and to the point, that I found that the information seemed to just flow from the pages.

Who is this book for?

This is not a book for someone just learning how to program; it is for everyone else though.

Both programmers new to PHP, or PHP programmers with (at least) a basic understanding of PHP, will find this book to be very handy to have around.

The book does not try to cover everything about PHP… though it does cover things like:

• graphics
• xml
• pdf
• databases

… instead it gives the best coverage of the core language I’ve ever read.

Buy the book.

Another great book from O’Reilly.

This book targets beginners to PHP but NOT total beginners to code and programming – I think that certain explanations of the basic programming concepts, may confuse a some people.

Doesn’t matter though, once you’ve done my free video tutorials (found on this site,) you will be able to breeze through this book.

Besides the basics of PHP programming, the book does a good job teaching basic database theory and concepts – but not so much to bore you to death.

Instead (like the rest of the book,) the coverage of database theory is just enough to get you going with MySQL.