Learning PHP and MySQL: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Dynamic, Database-Driven Web Sites

While this is a typical O'Reilly book (marvelously and expertly written), there weren't many examples of utilizing what you just learned such that it would sink in. It also pre-supposed a bit (not much mind you) of programming experience/knowledge of which I have none. The description is a bit mis-leading that way as it states that if you know HTML and are ready for the next step this is the book. It should say, if you know HTML, a bit of C, or PERL, and some SQL you will benefit from learning PHP & MySQL. Not disappointed, just not the book for me...

I really enjoyed reading this one! The authors have an easy style that lets you accelerate if you already have a good grasp of that topic but want a refresher. If the section covers something you don't know then there are clear code examples and text that explains what the code does. Don't make the assumption you'll learn lots of PHP and MySQL from one book! You'll get an introduction to both that is much lighter than covered in other O'Reilly books. Where this book shines is in the juncture of the two; it really makes clear some of the ways you can customize web pages using a database. Once you lay this one down you should spend a few hours with a favorite beverage; just toss some of the possibilities around in your head. If you have a beginning understanding of PHP and/or MySQL, this book will help you take the next step. It will also help you understand technologies like Joomla and other database-driven websites. You won't learn how to program, in a general sense, but you'll get turned on by the possibilities. If you're already a coder but new to PHP and MySQL, you'll get a taste of what can be accomplished with this powerful combination.

PHP and MySQL are highly adaptive programs that can be used to create a variety of dynamic website potentials. Although fairly simple to use once you understand the basics, the learning curve on these programs is a little high at first. In order to use the capabilities, the user has to not only understand what the programs do and how they work together. However, probably the hardest part of the process is learning all the vocabulary associated with these systems. Learning PHP & MySQL is a very good reference, especially for this latter challenge. The guide not only defines and explains each of the different concepts but gives examples that better illustrate these aspects while giving the user a glimpse into how they could use them for their own purposes. Especially for the more difficult sections, I really liked that I could replicate the code on my computer and see the results for myself. This aspect gave me a far better idea of how I could use these programs in conjunction to create the effects I want.

Learning PHP & MySQL is a detailed guide to building a database-driven web site. The authors do an excellent job of starting from the beginning, assuming no prior knowledge of either PHP or MySQL. In fact the only assumptions that the authors seem to make is that you have a very basic understanding of HTML. After working through the book and the detailed examples anyone should be able to write basic programs the meet common needs as well as create and interface with a MySQL database. Some of the programming areas covered in the book include decision making, working with arrays, using functions, database design fundamentals (missing in most books), getting PHP to talk to MySQL, modifying objects and data, and security. At the end of the book the reader ends up with a complete example application. The authors section on creating a MySQL database and working with it is excellent and truly reads easy to those not familiar with MySQL at all. This is the best introductory text for implementing PHP and MySQL that I have read. If you are already familiar with both PHP and MySQL then you will probably prefer another text but if you are new to them this is a text you should seriously consider as one of the best teaching tools and first forays into the field. Learning PHP & MySQL is very highly recommended to anyone wanting to learn the basics of using this very powerful combination to create a database-driven dynamic website.

'Learning PHP and MySQL' by Michele Davis is another Barry Bonds-esque home run of a book in the "Learning" series of O'Reilly gems. Covering a nice amount of 350 pages, the book is broken up into 17 Chapters: 01. Dynamic Content on the Web 02. Installation of PHP 03. Basics of PHP 04. Intermediate PHP 05. PHP Functions 06. Arrays 07. Database Basics 08. Using MySQL 09. PHP > MySQL communication <br />10. Forms <br />11. Practical PHP <br />12. Modifying MySQL Objects and PHP Data <br />13. Cookies, Sessions, Access Control <br />14. Security <br />15. Validation & Error Handling <br />16. Sample Apps <br />17. Wrapping Up <br /> <br />I like any book that has the word 'Learning' on the cover to not be too long, the writing to be clear and easy to understand, with plenty of pictures and screenshots so I can easily understand the concepts presented within. This book does all that and a whole lot more. <br /> <br />PHP has been around for some time in its role as the "other child" next to ASP and JSP. With this book by your side, you will soon learn that this technology has just as much to offer as the other 2 prevailing ones, except this one is open source and FREE (F-R-E BABY)!! <br /> <br />Support your open source developers out there and learn that you don't have to turn to Microsoft or Sun in order to produce a web site that is feature full and packed at the same time!! <br /> <br />***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED