It's really HUGE , GIANT .. and the thing that made me cry each time that they don't detail things
The PHP manual is largely a reference, not a tutorial, so it tends to have limited hand holding. Very often it describes what a feature or a function does and how to use it by itself, but does not state how and when to use it in actual development.
1) Can I still be professional with these stuffs WITHOUT the manual ?
If you want to be proficient in a programming language, you definitely need access to its language and library reference. For some programming languages, this is detailed in a technical standards document, which is often filtered out by authors and presented in more non-compiler writer friendly form. You would then get one or more of those books and use it (them) instead (or in conjunction with) the standard.
In the case of PHP, the PHP manual is both a de facto standards document and a non-interpreter writer friendly reference. There are substitutes for it, of course, but ultimately the authoritative reference is usually the PHP manual. Instead of using it as a tutorial, use it as a language and library reference. For example, the online PHP manual allows for easy searching of functions.
2) Do you suggest some quality resources from categories I mentioned above or any extras ?
I learnt PHP from a thin, not so intimidating book. Unfortunately, it is rather outdated as it is based largely on PHP 4.0.6 with some help on migrating from PHP 3. Generally, you may want to browse your local library for a modern PHP book geared towards novices. For online resources, the Practical PHP Programming Wiki may be of use. Ultimately, you will have to go back to the PHP manual, and possibly also the Standard PHP Library reference.
