Learning PHP?

ComputerNerd888

Hi,

I want to learn php. Where can I go to learn it? What do I need? ect.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Andrew

Xoid

erm... read the articles on this website perhaps? search for some basic tutorials etc...

don't forget to download the PHP engine, Apache or another webserver and MySQL

HTH

sarahk

decide what you want to be able to do
get yourself a free php website (hosts abound) to test your code on or install on a pc at home
work through the tutorials at this site and others - put time into the learning. don't try to do usuable code now, just play!

ComputerNerd888

so just follow the tutorial's here?

Andrew

Xoid

well... not necessarily only the articles / tutorials here, put search for some other tutorials, there are plenty around!!! it's difficult NOT to find PHP tutorials!! :p

it's worth buying a beginners book on PHP which will give you a good place to start then just go from there!

HTH

ComputerNerd888

That is ore what I was thinking was a beginners book. But where can I get one of those? Is the "for dummy's" books good?

I have herd PHP is hard to learn and code and I herd PHP is easy to learn and code. What do you think?

Thanks,
Andrew

Zack

in my experience, php can be easy if you practice enough. If you keep coding, you will remember functions and therefore, it will be easier. but if you try it twice, get frustrated and stop, then it's hard.

I have a PHP book from the Visual company. I think it's an OK reference book. The best developing books (again from experience and word of mouth) are those from the O'Reily company (they have animals on the covers)...

ComputerNerd888

like in a book store?

Thanks,
Andrew

Zack

uhm... that's where most people buy books, yes...

ComputerNerd888

OK. I have done on line books like ebooks for codes before. That is why i am asking. Also you could have to buy it on line too.

Andrew

Zack

Oh, sorry. I didn't understand you. I bought the book I have at a bookstoer, but I'm sure that it can be bought online. Same with the O'Reilly books.

Online tutorials can be both bad and good. Whatever you do though, don't just go to the last page of a tutorial and pull the code out. Read through it all so you UNDERSTAND what you're doing in the code and where and what in the code is doing that.

juschillinnow

first thing you need to do is go to google and do a search for:

PHP, APACHE, MYSQL

Find a good tutorial that shows you how to install the three and that makes sense to you.

Download the three from the appropriate locations and then start learning the language.

A good book for beginners is called "Instant PHP4 by Walker, Cox, and Anders published by McGrawHill / Osborne.

It walks you through creating an entire online store with examples and pictures. The examples are easy to understand.

But if you are looking for the cheap way to learn... go to google and type in "php for beginners" after you have installed everythign first.

ComputerNerd888

Thanks for all the help! Any onther help fomr any one else would be great!

Thanks,
Andrew

HalfaBee

If you have programmed in other languages, you will pick up php easily.

Make sure you get the manual from www.php.net. It has lots of code snippets to help you out as well.

Just have a go and if you have any problems thats what the forums for. 🙂

HalfaBee

ComputerNerd888

I know a bit of HTML. OK a far amount I can pretty much make a web site of knowledge. I do program games use a language called brain. I think it has the same basis. Var's. if...else...endif commands. ect. ect.

Thanks!,
Andrew

HalfaBee

Never heard of Brain, but it sounds a bit like Basic.
You probably have the knowledge to get into php with no problems.

HalfaBee

ComputerNerd888

Brain code goes along with the program 3D Rad. And yes it is like Basic.

Great!

Andrew

ComputerNerd888

thank you every one. I got a book called PHP/MySQL programming for the absolute beginner. I love it and would recommend it! I am about half way done I am reading about for loops now!

Thanks,
Andrew