I'm newbie... newbie...

JoshieLove

Hello,

It's time for me to step up my game. I know the "design" end of websites, but I'm really looking to get into the guts of programming with php/mysql. I'm looking for a reputable online course I could take to teach me all I need to know to be dangerous (including e-commerce). I'm fine with spending money for a course. I did the basic google search, and quite a few courses came up - all with varying costs, and I'm unable to find any reviews from students on how great the classes were to them. I don't want "tutorials", I want a full on course.

Any help you can give would be great. Maybe if you could tell me how you learned what you know, and from where... etc etc. If you took an online class, your review would be very much appreciated.

Thanks a bunch.

TheStalker

why dont you check out http://www.w3schools.com/php/default.asp and http://www.tizag.com/phpT/

They will teach you most of the basic skills and are free 🙂

NogDog

If you have no programming experience (HTML and CSS are not programming 😉 ), I would suggest not worrying so much about PHP-specific classes as classes on general programming concepts and database concepts. Once you understand the essentials of programming logic, data structures, and database design/SQL; then picking up PHP will simply(?) be a matter of learning its specific syntax, function names, etc. The inverse could lead to a lot of frustration: concentrating on the specifics of PHP syntax without really understanding how to design and write computer software.

As far as how I learned PHP: years of work experience in various non-programming jobs in IT companies (but rubbing elbows with lots of programmers), a few general computer courses, books, on-the-job mentors, forums like this, Google, playing around with personal computers since the mid '80s, etc. 🙂

Paavero

Does it have to be online?

I learned the basics of PHP and Javascript pretty much from two books from Wrox.
Reading a book away from the 'puter lets one focus on the ideas instead of the details (the syntax itself), or at least that's how it seems to be for me.

MikeWire

Tizag was my savior for a while, and I still use it for references once in a while, and I am personally a huge proponent of online help and forums. Online is the way to get info...I mean here we all are...online...asking for help and referencing one another. The only way to learn how the guts of PHP/MySQL is trial by fire 🙂 so jump in!

On the other side, most big box book stores do have pretty good references books, and I do turn to my O'Reillys every one in a while as well.

So get your info anywhere and everywhere you can, and take on as many projects as you think you can handle, and you'll become adept very quickly.