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Title: Programming PHP by Rasmus Lerdorf, Kevin Tatroe ISBN: 1-56592-610-2 Publisher: O'Reilly & Associates Pub. Date: March, 2002 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $39.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.59 (32 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Excellent Beginner's Reference for PHP Programming
Comment: Written in part by PHP's creator Rasmus Lerdorf, O'Reilly's Programming PHP is an excellent beginner's reference for PHP programming.
The book covers language fundamentals--many of which are similar enough to Java, C, JavaScript, etc. that a programmer with even a modicum of experience with those languages will quickly pick up the syntax--and then goes into detail on various aspects of PHP programming, from web programming to database integration.
The book does only touch on some areas; the database chapters, for instance, concetrate mainly on the MySQL interface, though PHP can easily be used with PostGRESQL and even products like Oracle and Microsoft SQLServer. However, there are more in-depth books for readers wishing to explore those topics in detail.
The programmer's function reference and other appendices are useful as well, although at times finding a function in the index will only direct you to a short entry in the function reference, not an in-depth explanation as to its application.
If you want to set up a scripted, interactive web site without having to learn the more difficult (and at times less suitable) Perl, then PHP is for you. As the language exists on both Unix and Windows platforms, PHP can serve as an alternative to other scripting languages as well such as ASP / VBScript. This book is the key to getting started.
Rating: 5
Summary: Great PHP book, but for programmers
Comment: The creator of PHP himself, Rasmus Lerdorf, put together a thorough and enlightening guide to PHP. In this book you will find everything you need to know about PHP from variables to a long list of all the PHP functions and how to use them. I found many features of PHP that I had no idea existed (such as creating PDF files). I use this book as a reference for a PHP course I teach, and its examples have been more than helpful to me in designing lesson plans.
The one caveat of this book is that it is not geared toward brand new web programmers. PHP as a language derives from C, C++ and Perl, and if you are not at least somewhat familiar with these langauges, you can get lost in this book. The authors really want to draw a parallel between PHP and its predecessor languages so that programmers can pick up PHP more easily. I really like the fact they try to do that, and it has helped me enjoy this book more. But on the flip side, it will be more difficult for new programmers to read this book. I really hope O'Reilly comes up with a "Learning PHP" book that will be more for beginning programmers, because PHP is a great language to learn, and it would be nice to have books to appeal to all levels.
In any case, for a book about PHP, you can ask for no better book than one written by the author itself. This book does keep up the tradition of professional, useful O'Reilly programming books, and is worth the time for web programmers to read. Thus I think it earns 5 stars.
Rating: 5
Summary: A Gift if you like PHP
Comment: This was not my first PHP book, and probably it is not the best first book because it doesn't have a fun project to get you psyched. If you've got some of the thick books and feel like you sort of know PHP, this book is like taking a class from a master, with an emphasis on fundamentals. Disorganized and others have said some errors, but you are going to learn something. It is the book I always refer to first and it usually answers my question. I like the fact that it is thin by programming book standards. So to summarize, if you are going to buy 2 or more PHP books I highly recommend this one!
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Title: Web Database Applications with PHP & MySQL by David Lane, Hugh E. Williams ISBN: 0596000413 Publisher: O'Reilly & Associates Pub. Date: March, 2002 List Price(USD): $44.95 |
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Title: PHP Cookbook by Adam Trachtenberg, David Sklar ISBN: 1565926811 Publisher: O'Reilly & Associates Pub. Date: 21 November, 2002 List Price(USD): $39.95 |
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Title: PHP and MySQL Web Development, Second Edition by Luke Welling, Laura Thomson ISBN: 067232525X Publisher: SAMS Pub. Date: 12 February, 2003 List Price(USD): $49.99 |
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Title: MySQL Cookbook by Paul DuBois ISBN: 0596001452 Publisher: O'Reilly & Associates Pub. Date: November, 2002 List Price(USD): $49.95 |
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Title: Managing and Using MySQL (2nd Edition) by Randy Jay Yarger, George Reese, Tim King ISBN: 0596002114 Publisher: O'Reilly & Associates Pub. Date: April, 2002 List Price(USD): $39.95 |
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