How to Learn PHP 1

[Echoe]

I am just a beginning webmaster looking to learn more than just the basic HTML. I have decided on PHP first and then probably mySQL. I have noticed that there are a lot of books out there. Can anyone suggest a favorite(s) book/site that would help me learn it or give tutorials?

Thanks in advance for your help!
~Jeff~

 

[JRBeltman]

Hi Jeff,

I think there are two main streams people like:
SAMS
O'Reilly

I personnaly have the O'Reilly book for Linux in a Nutshell and do not think it is for beginners and very boring if you are a newby. So my O'Reilly experience is so far not that good. However other think the world of it.

PhP I learnt from SAMS PhP & MySQL.
I found it a very nice book to follow, but many small mistakes in the examples. Well it makes you work though.

I can find my way around the basics ok these days and would recommend SAMS for a real beginner.

JR
As a wise man once said: To build the house you need the stone.
Back to the Basics!

 

[Echoe]

Alright. Many thanks. I just ordered Sams, and if I need more in depth stuff I will look for O'Rielly. Thanks again!

 

[dkdude]

Jeff,

Here's my two cents. Like JR says -SAMS or O'Reilly...

I got SAMS "Teach Yourself PHP in 24 Hours":

http://safari.samspublishing.com/?XmlId=0-672-32619-1

I like this book -good for beginners. I've got some O'Reilly books as well (not on PHP, though) and those are quite good too. If you know some C/C++/Java/JS you should find it very easy getting started on PHP - I did; and I've grown to love PHP -a lot!

It sounds like you've got experience with HTML -I would recommend looking into CSS, XHTML, and some JavaScript too (if you don't know them already). Combined with PHP you're well off, I recon.

And in this forum you'll find some excellent help - I did. Just read some of the threads once in a while -there's always interesting things & tricks to learn!

IF you're running Windows - I found this nice Apache/PHP/MySQL package. Real easy to install with minimum configuration requirements:

http://www.foxserv.net

Good Luck §;O)


Jakob