Reccomend me a the best(what you though the best) PHP book

htiek

Hello I’ve just completed a unit on internet computing at UNI in which our back end processing requirements were done with PHP, this is basically my first programming experience (along with a intro unit with Java), mainly just user authentication, writing queries/message boards, basic counters stuff like that (the data manipulated was stored on text files but I’ve also done a unit in database and have some skills in SQL and databases in general so want to go down that path).

At this point I’m looking for a book that will allow for me to gain some practical experience, a book with some useful examples you can follow (and actually use) and also teach good programming practice (i.e. not really weird scripts, that are hard to follow) and skills.

Thanks for your suggestions everyone
🙂 🙂 🙂

IceD

PHP and MySQL Web Development
MySQL and PHP Database Applications
Web Applications Development With PHP 4.0

Look for these title at amazon...

Elizabeth

I might also recommend "Beginning PHP4" - it has a lot of useful info about MySQL in there too, and helpful for beginners.

Good luck!
-Elizabeth

ednark

TRFM....

warning: my opinion follows: it is by no means the answer and may not be so for you:

don't trust book code... they most likely work but are far to uncomplex and incomplete to be usefull in the real world... and they are as expensive as your textbook and contain much less information...

what you need to worry about is what to do not how to do it.... how to do it is always af ew manual pages and a trip to the forum away... its what to do that is hardest to figure out...

the best way to learn what to do is to take out a usefull product (someone elses free code online) and just read through it... not for the specific code tricks... but for the general impression of how they are applying the concepts of what you learn in class into real life code... what do they use sessions for... what do they put in their libraries... what types of objects do they have

the best way to learn what php wants you to do with it is RTFM... it explains all the features and they common usages

if you want to know about PHP and MYSQL.... read all the docs on the mysql_ functions... it will show you exactly what php can do to mysql... the full capabilities of how php can posibly communicate to mysql... and if you read a book, most likely they will have a large portion devoted to repeating the php manual in slightly different terms.... and then will show basic vanilla examples of how to use them... which will be too simple for you to use

benwestgarth

My opinion is somewhat opposite to ednark :-). I think a good book is an excellent way to learn the fundamental purposes and tools of any language. Looking through code is just throwing yourself in the deep end. And let's face it - while the manual is a wealth of useful information for people with some PHP experience, it is not geared towards teaching the language. It is structured in a logical way to enable fast referencing for people who know what they're looking for. It is not something you pick up and read from the start unless you already know the fundamentals.

I must stress though that it should be good book and usually these are expensive. The difference between a good book and a bad book will make a world of difference. Buy cheap - get crap. I can highly recommend the wrox book "Beginning PHP4". Like most wrox books it is full of great examples. However - a cautionary note - I learnt from this book several years ago and I am not sure if it has been updated. PHP has changed in a number of ways since then, so if it hasn't been updated I would look for something else.

Good luck fellow Aussie PHP'er!

Ben