Product Description

With PHP for the World Wide Web, Third Edition: Visual QuickStart Guide, readers can start from the beginning to get a tour of the programming language, or look up specific tasks to learn just what they need to know. This task-based visual reference guide uses step-by-step instructions and plenty of screenshots to teach beginning and intermediate users this popular open-source scripting language. Leading technology author Larry Ullman guides readers through the new features in PHP 6, focusing primarily on improved support for handling any language in a Web site. Other addressed changes include removal of outdated and insecure features, plus new functions and more efficient ways to tackle common needs. Both beginning users, who want a thorough introduction to the technology, and more intermediate users, who are looking for a convenient reference, will find what they need here--in straightforward language and thorough readily accessible examples.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #94134 in Books
• Published on: 2008-12-22
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 480 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780321442499
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

About the Author
PHP expert Larry Ullman has written several best-selling books on the topic, including the previous edition of this guide. In addition, he serves as the Director of Digital Media Technology at DMC Insights and teaches numerous classes on PHP.

Customer Reviews

The master returns: the best short course on PHP available
Larry Ullman brings two major talents to the task of writing "PHP": a) a thorough knowledge of PHP, and b) the ability to write on technical subjects clearly and concisely.

Ullman himself considers this edition "a relatively light revision of the book, tweaking some things, solidifying the discussion of PHP 5 (which was just out when the second edition of the book was written), and addressing some of the changes forthcoming in PHP 6 (whenever that may be)". I have the earlier edition(s) in my library and there aren't any super-major changes visible.

I suspect that a non-programmer would have litle difficulty learning how to program in PHP using this book. But I think a working knowlede of HTML and perhaps even Javascript would be helpul.

Ullman begins at the beginning with the basic concepts of programming and PHP. His writing style is very comfortable, very clear and the beginner will not feel lost, though the experienced programmer may do nothing more than skim these first pages.

He moves forward into functions and control functions, working his way to interaction with databases, one of the most widespread uses for PHP.

All in all, this is great learning tool for those coming with experience in other programming languages and those who are neophytes. Ullman has done it again: excellent work.

Jerry

A Comprehensive, Yet Simplified Jump Start for PHP Beginners
I started as not knowing much about PHP, and by the time I had completed reading this book and doing many of its exercises, the book had lived up to its promise of "Learn PHP the Quick and Easy Way!", at least for me.

PHP is actually easy, but it is somewhat involved! It is not like learning VBA where you focus on the language syntax and that is all you really need to learn. PHP, by its Client Server nature, requires us to learn some HTML, Forms, CSS, and Database as well. Being a Client-Server Scripting Language, this is only natural.

Larry has done an excellent job of keeping this book comprehensive by giving us enough first had knowledge to be effective in HTML, Forms, CSS, and Database. But most importantly, there is enough to help learn to write a useful program as a beginner. However, previous experience about other programming languages,we can get inventive and write more complicated ones using this book.

Chapter 1 gets us started nicely. Chapters 2 to 5 are basic things like variables and strings. Chapter 6, does a good job of giving practical, and clearly explained control functions. Chapter 7 on using arrays gives us a good start plus a lot of helpful things like how to convert an array into a string, and vice versa. I found Chapters 8, 9, 10, and 11 containing all essential things needed to make a decent website including session management and cookies. Again, he clearly gives an excellent start, and empowers us to build on that. Chapter 10 is on functions and Chapter 11 introduces us to files and directories as seen by PHP Client Server approach. Chapter 12 is introduction to Databases. Databases and detailed explanation of them, to satisfy a DBA for example, will take a complete book focused on it. However, Larry has packed enough database information here that will get us started and more importantly operational on the Back End Database. Chapter 13, regular expressions, while important, was sort of icing on the cake for me.

Appendix A does a basic treatment of general installation for different operating systems. Appendix B, on the other hand is a good list of other resources.

As a suggestion, I would say that if the code for a more involved, ten or fifteen page website could be shown to expand on what is already in the book, would help put all in prespective. Also, there is a slight confusion at this time in this book. At the time this book was being written, there was some confusion about PHP 5 or 6 in the Regular Expressions Chapter 13. I would recommend that this be cleared up in the Fourth Edition. This book is well worth a Fourth Edition!

The pace of the book is good and it does not jump around, and it does not leave gaps that would be frustrating to a first time PHP programmer. It logically and systematically builds up on previous chapters as it proceeds.

easy, clear, step by step .....
excellent for beginers, to complement perfectly html and css. Become a web application programmer and not only a web designer. In today's job market it has become necessary not to only have an advantage but to find a decent work place.