Some standing ground

Lilith

I am completely new to web script programming. The best way for me to learn something like programming is to know that is going on. Does anyone have any idea how PhP, MySQL, and Apache server work together to make a website or is there an online article that could explain this. If you know of an online article could you post it please?

theelectricwiz

The very short version: when a php page is requested apache calls php to execute the page, which is passed back to apache and forwarded on to the requesting page. If the php page requires a database like mysql php will connect to the database server requesting information as required.
PHP Page request --> Apache (finds is a php script) --> apache starts php process to run script --> PHP executes script and returns html --> apache sends html received from php to user
PHP is a scripting language which is parsed (creating html for web pages) when the script is requested on the server.

Hope this is what you were looking for.

Lilith

When I do practice scripts am I actually making a website somewhere that people can read or are the functions of the program just running on my computer?

theelectricwiz

It all depends on how your internet is set up. If there is no firewall between you and the internet stopping people look at the ports on your computer then yes, you are if you are testing them on a web server (they can be found by going to your ip address )

Lilith

So, what is a website? When the computer turns off are the program lines stored in Apache's server?

NogDog

"Apache Server" is a program that runs on a computer. If that computer is shut down, then it is not accessible, and anyone who pointed their browser to that IP address would get a "cannot connect to host" type of error message.

Apache and other similar web server programs run as "demon" processes on a computer and watch a network port for incoming HTTP requests. When they "see" one, they interpret its contents and, if the request is valid, serve up the relevant file or - as in the case of a PHP file - have that file processed by another program and then send the results of that program back to the requester.

Lilith

So I could have a machine that just runs a website or I can purchase space on another machine, this way it is up and running all the time? Is this how you get a website?

NogDog

Most individuals and smaller businesses host their web sites on computers owned and operated by companies specializing in web hosting. It is possible to host it yourself on your own computer, but unless you are really into doing all the technical set-up stuff and maintenance, it's probably more effective (and secure) to let the specialists do it. They have the equipment, the high-speed network, and the know-how and personnel to keep the system current, perform backups, etc. (Well, hopefully they do!) Most such hosting companies will provide the necessary service for you to purchase/register a domain name and have that domain point to your account on their host computer; and they typically have a suite of support utilities that you can use to manage your account and web site.

As to which service to use if you go that route, there are several threads already here you can search for, and of course thousands out there if you do a web search on something like "web hosting comparisons" or such.

theelectricwiz

You may want to not try and tackle php at the moment and just worry about understanding how the internet and web sites work first. Take a look at http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet-infrastructure.htm