Product Description

It hasn't taken Web developers long to discover that when it comes to creating dynamic, database-driven Web sites, MySQL and PHP provide a winning open source combination. Add this book to the mix, and there's no limit to the powerful, interactive Web sites that developers can create. With step-by-step instructions, complete scripts, and expert tips to guide readers, veteran author and database designer Larry Ullman gets right down to business: After grounding readers with separate discussions of first the scripting language (PHP) and then the database program (MySQL), he goes on to cover security, sessions and cookies, and using additional Web tools, with several sections devoted to creating sample applications. This guide is indispensable for intermediate- to advanced level Web designers who want to replace their static sites with something dynamic. In this edition, the bulk of the new material covers the latest versions of both technologies: PHP 6 (due out in 2008) and MySQL 5 (available now). The book's publication date is likely to beat the official release of PHP 6, making it one of the first books available on the subject.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6262 in Books
• Published on: 2008-04-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 648 pages

From the Back Cover
It hasn't taken Web developers long to discover that when it comes to creating dynamic, database-driven Web sites, MySQL and PHP provide a winning open source combination. Add this book to the mix, and there's no limit to the powerful, interactive Web sites that developers can create. With step-by-step instructions, complete scripts, and expert tips to guide readers, veteran author and database designer Larry Ullman gets right down to business: After grounding readers with separate discussions of first the scripting language (PHP) and then the database program (MySQL), he goes on to cover security, sessions and cookies, and using additional Web tools, with several sections devoted to creating sample applications. This guide is indispensable for intermediate- to advanced level Web designers who want to replace their static sites with something dynamic. In this edition, the bulk of the new material covers the latest versions of both technologies: PHP 6 (due out in 2008) and MySQL 5 (available now). The book's publication date is likely to beat the official release of PHP 6, making it one of the first books available on the subject.

About the Author
Larry Ullman is Lead PHP Programmer and Director of Digital Media Technology at DMC Insights, Inc., a firm specializing in information technology. He is the author of several books on PHP, MySQL, Web development, and other programming languages. In addition to writing, he develops dynamic Web applications, conducts training seminars, and teaches PHP programming for the Web through the University of California at Berkeley Extension Online.

Customer Reviews

Excellent Content, Well Written, Well Supported
The content will take you from zero knowledge of PHP and MySQL (even not having it installed!) to a point where you can feel confident approaching the development of a fully functioning dynamic website. The examples cover ecommerce, user registration and content management. There are consistent references to other sources and alternative functions which could be used. For me it took me from a very limited knowledge of PHP/MySQL (gained from a few days searching the web) to this point of confidence where I'm now designing my own ecommerce website. I would agree with another reviewer that a prior knowledge of HTML is important although I think you could scrape by without, you should learn HTML seperately before starting this book.

Well written: Books like this can have all the content in the world and still be useless. This book is by far one of the best 'textbooks' I've ever used. It is clear and concise without omitting any vital details. It covers useful material and refers to more detail. It is 'friendly' and doesn't assume much (if anything). Overall it reads easily and gets the point across very effectively.

Well Supported: The scripts (php and mysql) are all available on the author's website. This is useful to compare your practice and problem-solve if you get really stuck! One SQL script was not available but it affects one small example only and won't impact your progress. The author maintains a web forum on which you can ask questions. He seems to respond to them all (quite a feat!) and I got a reply to a question I asked within 24 hours. That's quite impressive!

If you are looking at a few books with a similar title as I did a few weeks ago, then I can fully recommend this book. I have devoured it - working full time 10 hours a day - in about 8 days. It has been a steep learning curve and I got to the end which wouldn't happen with every book of this sort.

Learn PHP and MySQL from the ground up
As a complete novice to both PHP and MySQL, I found this book totally accessible. [The last language I learned was - wait for it- FORTRAN! - things have moved on a bit...] The progressive tutorial was paced at a perfect rate, introducing just enough new material each time to keep the interest level high and not too much to be overwhelming (unlike a lot of other computer books). The database section of the book explained relational databases in understandable and practical terms too. Another good feature is the wealth of good quality reference material, encouraging the reader to supplement knowledge in specific areas if desired. The overall thrust of the book is towards what I, and I imagine a lot of others, want to do - make a database driven website. The book succeeds in this objective very well indeed.
It's also a very handy reference to Open Source PHP, which helped me to understand how to configure and use several packages.
My only slight criticism is the lack of detail when discussing security - something which is surely a top concern of any operational website. Apart from that, I can't praise it highly enough. If only all computer books were written like this.....

Favourite Computing Book Ever!
I don't normally write reviews, but for this book I decided I had to, simply to praise the people who put it together. I've got a dynamic websites assignment on at the moment and this book has contributed no end. Everything is so clear and easy to understand and yet it manages to provide you with all the information you need to put together very professional and sophisticated websites.

For the beginner there are the SQL and PHP chapters themselves. I knew SQL and was familiar with the basics of PHP and so I simply started reading at chapter 3. After that there are advanced topics for PHP and MYSQL use, which are in the format of, box with code in, followed by screenshots, and then an explanation. This conveys the meaning perfectly, and you know how you will implement it into your own website.

Finally, there are additional topics for those people who master PHP/MYSQL and have created their dynamic website. These include a user registration system, and content management system which I am thouroughly looking forward to. Despite the PHP/MYSQL title, the book also covers javascript and html use as they are so much a part of the subject. All this is in a slim 500 page book, which also manages to be a good reference book for the SQL and PHP functions available. I could go on all day...