Databases vs Arrays

deezzer

I've got a question here..

I'm killin myself here tryin to learn all these array functions and my brain is starting to fry...

my friend is telling me not to trip too much, since if we're using mySQL databases (which we absolutely will), we wont need to know about Arrays as much.

Is this true? should i put all my effort into learning arrays, and multidementional arrays, functions, etc etc.. I get this feeling it will make my programs run faster.

Please enlighten this newbie. Thank you

laserlight

You should learn to use arrays since they are a core part of PHP and will crop up here and there, whether or not you work with databases.

kakki

well...
the biggest difference between php(web)-applications and "normal" desktop-apps
is that you start and end the programm for each page.
so if you store all your information from the db in an array its not really useful, because all
that information is lost after the page is generated...

i think, if you are able to "ask" the db properly
(use sql to the fullest ), you won't need much of arrays in your php-scripts
nevertheless you should be able to navigate in php.net ...
not just for arrays, but for every other command

Roger_Ramjet

The people who use arrays a lot, and understand them, think you cannot get by without them. I disagree. I never use them from choice, and so rarely have to use them at all. I know how to get data out of the post array etc, and how to address the data in a query resultset.

Beyond that, I've not found anything that I can't do without them; though of course I'm sure they would make a few things more efficient, if less transparent. Code/logic transparency is paramount for me while processing power is so cheap now that saving a few processor cycles is unneccessary.

If you are using mysql then concentrate on learning sql thoroughly, it will pay you greater dividends now and in the future.

So long as you understand what an array is, leave arrays untill you have to learn about a specific function for a specific purpose.

deezzer

Thank you all for your wonderful posts...

maxpup979

If this is a one time PHP project, and you are never going to use PHP again, I think you can get along fine without knowing much about arrays. On the other hand, if you are planning on using PHP regularly, arrays are an important tool you should probably make the effort to learn. Granted, learning the mySQL interactions first might make more sense in your situation...

One question though--how are you planning on using the DB in place of arrays? since most of the ways you pull data from mySQL return an array, you might find it useful to be able to manipulate the results as needed.

laserlight

Actually, I dont mean to say that you should go about and learn all the array functions available - chances are you wont understand why they exist and so you wont be able to use them effectively anyway. What's more important is to cover the basics in the PHP Manual concerning arrays.