Useful resources and books for anyone who wants to learn PHP and mySQL

[Skunk]

I originally put this up on another forum (here), but I'm posting it here as well in hope that someone will find the information useful. It's essentially a huge collection of links to tutorials and resources, with some explanatory text thrown in for good measure. Any comments / suggestions for improvements welcome

What is PHP?

Explained at a very basic level, PHP is a programming language you can use to create 'automated' web pages. Using PHP you can write everything from simple page counters to automated sites like AmIHotOrNot or the gameplay forums.

PHP scripts (programs) are executed by the web server itself when your web browser requests a page. They generate static HTML which is sent to your browser - as a result the web browser never sees any PHP code (it is dealt with by the server) and thus PHP scripts work fine with ANY browser, provided the HTML the script generates can be viewed by that browser.

Still confused? Check out the beginner's tutorial on the official PHP website:

http://www.php.net/tut.php

If you want to build a website using PHP it is essential that your web site host supports PHP - free hosts that offer PHP include F2S and UK Linux.

http://www.f2s.com/
http://www.uklinux.net/
note: f2s.com will be discontinuing free hosting in February 2002.
try http://www.port5.com
[added by the freakysid with apologies to Skunk]


What about mySQL?

PHP and mySQL are often mentioned in the same sentence, however they are completely different things. mySQL is a database system (like Microsoft Access but without the complicated windows interface or the hefty price tag). The PHP language has built in functions for "talking" to mySQL databases, and since mySQL (like PHP) is completely free they are a very popular combination. Using a mySQL database makes it very easy to create sites that store large amounts of information - such as the gameplay forums or an automated articles system.

Getting Started

Before you start learning PHP you need to have somewhere to run it. A free account at F2S or UK Linux will suffice, but an even better option is to install your own PHP web server on your windows PC and run your scripts from there. You need the windows versions of Apache (a web server), PHP, mySQL and a script called phpMyAdmin which will help you easily create and administrate databases in mySQL. That lot may sound daunting but there is a .zip file available for download containing all 4 - simply unzip it onto your hard drive and away you go.

http://www.firepages.com.au/dev4.htm

If you really want to install PHP and Apache yourself (which can be good experience) there is an excellent tutorial here:

http://www.thickbook.com/extra/php_apachephp4_win.phtml

You can get the bits and pieces from...

http://www.apache.org/
http://www.php.net/
http://www.mysql.com/
http://www.phpwizards.net/ -- phpMyAdmin

Learning PHP

PHP is - in my opinion at least - an extremely easy language. If you have had any previous programming experience (up to that point that you understand what variables, arrays, if...then statements and loops are) you shouldn't have any problems at all picking up basic PHP syntax. Even if you don't have previous programming experience starting PHP is a great way to get some.

My personal favourite PHP tutorial anywhere is this one from SitePoint:

http://www.webmasterbase.com/article.php/228/

It starts with the very basics (installing PHP, what it does) and goes on to cover everything from basic programming principles to advanced usage of PHP and mySQL to create a fully databased site. I recommend printing the article out, but be warned it comes to around 111 pages...

Also worth looking at are the PHP 101 tutorials on DevShed:

http://www.devshed.com/Server_Side/PHP/PHP101_1/
http://www.devshed.com/Server_Side/PHP/PHP101_2/
http://www.devshed.com/Server_Side/PHP/PHP101_3/
http://www.devshed.com/Server_Side/PHP/PHP101_4/
http://www.devshed.com/Server_Side/PHP/PHP101_5/

PHP Books

Online tutorials are great but they can only go so far - in practise the quickest and easiest way to learn something like PHP (if you're prepared to shell out the money) is with a good book. Here are my personal recommendations:

PHP Essentials. This is the book I learned PHP from - it expects no previous experience and takes you through from the bare basics to creating a fully database driven e-commerce site (complete with information on how to encrypt credit card details). The only down side is that much of the stuff in this book is covered in the WebMasterBase tutorial mentioned earlier - however at £24.93 (which is pretty cheap for a computer book) this is definitely worth considering:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/076152729X/

Professional PHP Programming. This is a BIG red PHP Bible from wrox publishing. Think of it as the ultimate PHP reference book - between this and the PHP manual there's very little you won't be able to figure out. This book isn't ideal for beginners, but is virtually essential once you've got past newbie level.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1861002963/

Other books worth investigating (i.e I haven't read them but they've been recommended by other people) include:

PHP: Fast and Easy Web Development
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/076153055X/

Beginning PHP4 Programming
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1861003730/

PHP Developer's Cookbook
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0672319241/

The PHP Manual

PHP is blessed with one of the best written, most comprehensive online manuals I've ever seen. The manual is available in several different formats, including a .zip file for download to your local machine. The most useful version is the fully searchable online manual at php.net - complete with user comments. All comments are "moderated" before they go on display on the site so the quality of information is extremely high - in fact I've often found the solution to a problem with a PHP function by browsing through the comments on that function's page in the manual.

http://www.php.net/manual/en/

Useful Tip: You can quickly look up ANY function in the manual by going to http://www.php.net/the_function_name - i.e http://www.php.net/date will show you the page in the manual covering the date() function. I use this all the time.

Advanced Tips

Once you've read through a tutorial or read a book the chances are you'll be thirsty for more. The following are useful PHP resources I've found since I started playing with PHP:

PHP Builder - this is the definitive PHP community site. You can learn a huge amount by just reading through the article archive on this site, and fresh content is posted several times a week.
http://www.phpbuilder.com/

Zend - the official site of the "Zend" engine, which is the lightning fast code interpreter used in PHP 4. The site also includes a wealth of PHP articles, tutorials and code snippets (my personal favourites are listed below).
http://www.zend.com/

Introduction to Classes
http://www.zend.com/zend/tut/class-intro.php

Session Handling with PHP 4
http://www.zend.com/zend/tut/session.php

The PHP Base Library (phpLib). This is a library of functions that handle many essential but complicated routines used by the majority of database driven websites. Of particular interest are the user permissions / session management classes and the excellent template class - there is also support for a shopping cart system and a very useful database interaction class.
http://phplib.netuse.de/

Be warned, phpLib is not for the faint hearted (the documentation on the site isn't very friendly). Luckily there are some excellent articles around on how to use the library:
http://www.phpbuilder.com/columns/david20000512.php3
http://www.users.f2s.com/faq/phplib_db.php3
http://www.phpbuilder.com/columns/chad19990414.php3
http://www.devshed.com/Server_Side/P...Lib/print.html

Other sites:

Good list of PHP Tutorials
http://www.find.com.au/tutorials/web....asp?ob=3&pg=0

Installing and using phpMyAdmin
http://www.opendeveloper.org/PHP/How...ment_with_PHP/

Migrating from PERL to PHP
http://www.dotcomma.org/programming/view.php?id=36

DevShed's PHP Section
http://www.devshed.com/Server_Side/PHP/

http://www.phpdeveloper.org/
http://www.phphelp.org/

Finally... places to get pre-written PHP Scripts

HotScripts
http://www.hotscripts.com/

PHP Resource Index (my personal favourite)
http://php.resourceindex.com/

PHP Wizards - home of phpMyAdmin among others
http://www.phpwizards.net/

New Link Added 7th February 2002: This site was referred to me by
anthony_irl - It's an absolutely fantastic PHP tutorial covering everything from basic language syntax right up to advanced concepts such as OOP, sessions, mySQL interaction and arrays: http://www.zorka.com/index.php/pages/phptutorial

[freddydoesphp]

Wow Skunk, good work!! I am sure I will be sending a lot of people to this thread, keep it up!!

[freakysid]

Well done Skunk
You deserve a prize

I would include the nusphere bundle as well as the firepages one www.nusphere.com as it is for linux and windoze. Also, webmin (which is part of the bundle) is very handy.

[Umair.ms]

Is there any possible way that I can download these files by parts. I mean is there any similar software which have chunks of 2.0 or 2.5 MB each??? I am on a slow 56 K dial up connection.

[Skunk]

If you mean the PHP and Apache downloads then I'm afraid to my knowledge there are no smaller files - your best bet is to grab a downloads manager such as www.getright.com and see if you can download them in chunks.

I downloaded the whole lot over a modem and it only took about an hour.

[freakysid]

Here is another resource to add to the list. Everything you need to know about strings in PHP: http://www.zend.com/zend/tut/using-strings.php

A real gem amongst all the valuable info at www.zend.com (as mentioned already by Skunk).

[infinitium]

hehe.. just to pump some new blood into this post :

Getting Started

Before you start learning PHP you need to have somewhere to run it. A free account at F2S or UK Linux will suffice, ....

What's the link to F2S? Am looking for a free web hosting site that can support PHP w/out asking me to pay $$ for the PHP part. Any ideas?

Also, if I port my PHP files which run on Windoze to Linux, can they run w/out me changing code? The only advanced fn. I'm using is mail()...

[DR_LaRRY_PEpPeR]

F2S is www.f2s.com

your scripts should run fine on *nix. you have mail working on Windows?!?!?! it will definitely work on *nix. but usually not vice versa.

note: f2s.com will be discontinuing free hosting in February 2002.
try http://www.port5.com
[added by the freakysid with apologies to the Doctor]

[infinitium]

uhh.. yeah.. my mail does work on windoze....

why.. is it supposed to NOT work there?

[DR_LaRRY_PEpPeR]

doesn't work on mine. what do you have to put in php.ini? don't you have to give it the path to an e-mail program? what do you have?

thanks.

[infinitium]

ok... here's the thing i didn't mention yet...

am in an office which has it's own email server as well as LAN. so here's what I put in config:


[mail function]
SMTP = 198.175.120.143 ; for win32 only
sendmail_from = myemail@mycompany.com;for win32 only


I tried running on IIS and used Win's own SMTP server thingy, but the mail() function didn't work there for some reason.... perhaps that's what you're facing too huh....

[heningmalam]

Originally posted by infinitium
ok... here's the thing i didn't mention yet...

am in an office which has it's own email server as well as LAN. so here's what I put in config:


[mail function]
SMTP = 198.175.120.143 ; for win32 only
sendmail_from = myemail@mycompany.com;for win32 only


I tried running on IIS and used Win's own SMTP server thingy, but the mail() function didn't work there for some reason.... perhaps that's what you're facing too huh....

i think u must change the configuration of SMTP in ur php.ini ex. smtp.urcompany.com or mail.urcompany.com just ask ur admin about this smtp configuration, i just test one of tutorial by kevin yank and it's work ... localhost and of course my lovely f2s.... thx f2s....

[prequel]

just started learning php 24 hrs ago..

using some resources here http://www.sitepointforums.com/showt...684#post231089

Hotscripts has a whole directory of tutorials as well for PHP organised by script/app -> http://www.hotscripts.com/PHP/Tips_and_Tutorials/

[johnn]

Another good site for beginners is:
http://www.alt-php-faq.org/

[firepages]

Skunk could you change the firepages link to http://www.firepages.com.au/dev4.htm please - it now runs as an apache module as opposed to the cgi and has updated versions etc (and PERL)

cheers!

[Grumpy]

Thanks Skunk! Excellent links.

I just learned the basics of PHP.
But the tutorial did not cover the OOP capabilities of PHP.
So I searched and came up with this site. In the PHP category they have two excellent PHP OOP tutorials.
http://www.melonfire.com/community/c...ategories.php3

Apparently they supply content for Devshed :
http://www.melonfire.com/company/news.php3

[totenmaske]

...maybe this isn't important to anyone else but it was a definite COOL FIND for me!

I've just started thinking about converting my flat file system to a database driven site yet I was concerned about being able to test a PHP/mySQL solution on my local 'puter. I'm a loyal fan of HomeSite < I enjoy hand coding and I like being able to instantly view my changes in the built in IE powered browser >

So I was pleasantly suprised to find that a gentleman named Dave Alders has a step by step guide < located at: http://www.roundridge.com/hs/index.php > that shows you how to install Apache/PHP on a WIN32 system and integrate that functionality right into HomeSite!

Now all I have to do is figure out how to add mySQL to the mix

Maybe this info will help someone else too!

[beley]

Search www.download.com for "PHP Triad" - It's an installer that automatically installes Apache Web Server, PHP 4.X, and MySQL on your computer... and configures it!

I installed it and it was incredibly easy... the setup walks you all the way through it and when you're done its ready to go!

Worked like a charm!

[Marina]

Those of you who don't know the PHP manual by heart may want to check out this site. The PHP manual available for download there can be used like a Windows help file. It has a very nice design and user contributed notes are included!

[godsfshrmn]

For some small functions and classes to look at, try evilwalrus.com. I learned PHP by looking at other code and guessing what it does.(the hard way I guess you could say)

[ZuulJin]

I don't believe this book is published yet. I own both the "PHP Developers Dictionary" and the "PHP Developers Cookbook". I was wondering if anyone knows what "PHP Developers Handbook" will cover. If it will be more advanced than most books available these days.

BTW, the Developers Cookbook is a good book, the dictionary is nearly useless. I program on a windows system, the PHP manual in help format is so much easier to use.

Also if this could turn into a good thread for book recommendations... that would be nice. Please recommend books here! I'll start:

PHP Developers Cookbook by Sterling Hughes (published by Sams): Great book. Not really for beginners, but it presents a series of recipes of code that intermediate users will find VERY helpful. But because in some areas it tends to rely on third party classes, I will give it 4 stars.

Build Your Own Database Driven Website Using PHP & MySql by Kevin Yank (published by SitePoint): Pretty good. Goes through the setup of PHP and MySql on both IIS and Apache. The example project is a joke database and the book covers content management as well as content formatting (which is the first book I have seen to cover content formatting). I would give this book a perfect 5 stars... except that in some areas it cuts things short. This book also gets 4 stars.

MySQL by Paul DuBois (published by New Riders): Great book for MySql. Goes in-depth about pretty much everything you'd need to know about MySql. Must have for serious MySql users. 5 stars.

PHP and MySql Web Development by Luke Welling and Laura Thomson (published by Sams): This is a great book for beginners. This book covers a lot of information! It is 802 pages long not counting the index. Each chapter covers a different concept. I liked this book when I was starting out with PHP. Now I realize that it is really only for beginners. Although it does cover a lot of concepts, it never got too in-depth. I am the type of person that wants to know "why/how" something works, not just that "it does". 4 stars.

Web Application Development with PHP 4.0 by Tobias Ratschiller and Till Gerken (published by New Riders): I love this book. While definitely not for beginners, experienced programmers will like the concepts it covers. It's not completely about writing code. It covers concepts of application development for the web. This book will help you program "the right way". 5 stars.

[Z]

[ZuulJin]

PHP Developers Dictionary by R. Allen Wyke, Michael J. Walker, and Robert M. Cox (published by Sams): I really don't recommend buying this book. It gives less information than the PHP manual does! It is simply a rehash of the manual, minus the extremely useful user comments. I would recommend downloading the windows help version of the manual (windows users only of course) that contains the user comments. I don't believe I have gotten any value out of this book. Other than it looks the same as the PHP Developers Cookbook, so it looks nice on the bookshelf. This book gets 1 star.

Don't Make Me Think! by Steve Krug (published by New Riders): While not about PHP or MySql, it is definitely one of the most useful books I have read in a while. This book is about usability and it definitely opened my eyes to a new way of writing my web pages. There are case studies within this book that make you really understand the concepts behind usability and how important it really is. Great book! 5 Stars.

PHP - Visual Blueprint series by Paul Whitehead and Joel Desamero (published by Hungry Minds): This book will at least get you started in PHP. VERY basic, but I believe it presents PHP to the beginner rather effectively. Matter-of-fact, I even tested it. My boss knows nothing about PHP, but with this book he was able to gain enough knowledge to ask intelligent questions about PHP. Although it does present the material well, it doesn't really cover anything with depth. So I have to give it 3 Stars.

[Maelstrom]

Originally posted by ZuulJin
I have edited the post to reflect the authors and publishers. Thanks for the tip.

I should have known better.

[Z]

Well then I would like to agree wih your assesment of

PHP and MySql Web Development:

It is an excellent book and I am finding useful (it was a gift) While it is sparse in some of its uses, it does give fairly detailed explanations and if you read the php manual and the mysql manual themselves with this book you will have a great understanding of the mysql/php system.

[ZuulJin]

Time and time again I find the PHP manual with user comments to be the most useful resource. I can't discount books though. Even if the book isn't all that great, I'll at least learn something from it.

I've order two more books - PHP 4 Developers Guide and Essential PHP for Web Professionals. When I get them I'll write up a small review here.

Anybody else want to contribute some book reviews/recommendations?

Thanks!

[Z]

[Paul S]

Professional PHP programming (WROX)

This was the first book of PHP I bought (and at this time my only book, actually I'm looking for a good advanced book,I'll give a shot to Web Application Development with PHP 4.0). In general this book is good, although it only covers a few features of PHP 4 (because at the time it came out, PHP4 was in beta stage), for example you will not find a session chapter there. It has more than 22 chapters (aprox 800 pp) but some chapters are too short, they do not include all the information you would want to see.

The first part of the book is an introduction for PHP basis (variables, functions, mysql, etc), the basic things. I think the most important part of this book is the cases studies, I've read them and I've learned a few skills (how to plan a huge php project, basically)
IMHO, I believe intermediate users will find those cases useful, but if you are looking a more advanced book I'll look for in other place.

BTW I saw a revision of this book somewhere in sitepoint