REALLY learning PHP.. or other language?

gregzor

Hey everyone-- I've mostly used this forum as well as the rest of this site for help troubleshooting or fixing errors I've had, but today I'm going to actually participate!

I've been doing web design and development for several years, though I've been really taking it beyond a hobby level for the past year, year and a half.

Anyway, I work with Wordpess and some other CMS's, I know enough PHP to tweak other peoples codes, or understand how to implement the pieces of wordpress, for example, in putting together a theme -- but I want to really get a handle on PHP. I'm clueless about complex things, for example, how something like Wordpress or Wordpress Plugins works (where do all these functions hide!? How do they get called!)

I want to get a book, or maybe not get a book -- Need some advice!

I know that toying with scripts is helpful but sometimes I like to have a good solid, tangible resource at my side to help me through it. I tend to read these books until I get excited and want to blunder forward on my own with whatever new bit of info I've gleamed. What's a good book for that sort of use? I understand some programming concepts, took CS 101 in Java back in college, but some of the theory is murky to me now. Any help is much appreciated!

BTW, I know there are a million threads on this forum about this, but I wanted advice on my specific situation. =)

Weedpacket

gregzor wrote:
I know that toying with scripts is helpful but sometimes I like to have a good solid, tangible resource at my side to help me through it. I tend to read these books until I get excited and want to blunder forward on my own with whatever new bit of info I've gleamed. What's a good book for that sort of use?

http://www.php.net/manual/ I kid you not, it's about the only reference I used when learning PHP.

CS101 in Java, tchah! I remember when I was studying we had to pass muster in Haskell and Prolog before we even got to use C. That taught programming. I just wish Lisp had been included.

Computer Science has really gone downhill over the years.

NogDog

Guess I'm sort of like Weedpacket (shudder!) in that I came to PHP after having worked a bit with other languages, so I never really used any "learn PHP" books. (OK, I borrowed somebody's PHP for Idiots/Dummies/whatever for a few days, then promptly returned it.) I'd say 90% or more of what I know about PHP has come from the php.net manual pages and from forums like this one.

Anyway, if you still remember some of the Java stuff, you might want to look for a recent book on PHP5 that emphasizes object-oriented coding, rather than starting with one of the introductory books that teach you all about how to code procedurally, and then make object-oriented coding sound like something to be left for more advanced users.

iceomnia

Well, I first studied Basic back in the eighties and php was quite simple to understand from that...

So, I purchased a book called php for dummies years ago, I think it covered php 3 and MySQL the rest I learned from www.php.net/manual like everyone else really.

rulian

I learned from a book called "Beginning PHP" by WROX which was in my opinion a very good foundation since PHP was my first endevour in programming.

blackhorse

"Beginning PHP" by WROX

I used the book from WROX too.

"Professional PHP Programming"

rsmith

PHP was really my first language as well. I found that "Learn PHP 5 Visually" was concise, too the point, and well structured to give me a good diving board. From there it's been the manual and this site.

gregzor

NogDog wrote:
Anyway, if you still remember some of the Java stuff, you might want to look for a recent book on PHP5 that emphasizes object-oriented coding, rather than starting with one of the introductory books that teach you all about how to code procedurally, and then make object-oriented coding sound like something to be left for more advanced users.

I've been doing reading about this -- that PHP is starting to move more towards being able to do Object-Orientated stuff...

Thanks for the input, I'm going to spend some more time reading through that manua -- i've only glanced at it so far. If I can avoid spending cash I'd like to do it that way 🙂

Thanks!

kardiostep

ASP is more object oriented i think.
i am learning from the manual linked first as well. useful stuff.

dougal85

The PHP Manual and Google for any specific examples.

However, take any examples you find with a pinch of salt. They are often riddled with mistakes or depreciated features.

ucffool

Gotta pimp my book... it's more of a reference book, but as one reviewer put it, he learned a lot from it too (like wtf sprintf() really does). See sig.

Sorry, no pimping (see the site's Acceptable Use Policy).
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