Category: Useful Links and Resources

Learning PHP and MySQL – Good Books to Have

If you are serious about learning PHP and MySQL, you need good resources. There are many online tutorials and websites, and I have listed some really useful resources in a previous post. If you are like me and prefer to not read off a screen, and instead like to use a book, there are many excellent books out there that range from novice to expert level. I have collected what I believe to be some of the best books to have and added them my Programmers Store, so that they are in one easy place for you to find. So go ahead and check it out.

You can also find some on your library bookshelf for free, which is always better… free is good. The one that I am using is Beginning PHP5, Apache, and MySQL Web Development (Programmer to Programmer), and I love it. It starts you from scratch, although it does help to have some HTML/CSS knowledge. The Appendix has instructions on installing Apache, PHP, and MySQL, which came in really handy for me.

So check out the store!!

PHP Resources

I am still working on the starting stages of PHP, with real life and other obligations interfering frequently, so progress has been a tad slow. However, I have been spending a lot of time on different websites and forums learning, and getting motivated. In this post I will share some of these useful links and resources, and will be adding them as I go, so keep an eye on the Useful Links and Resources category. The ordering of these links is pretty random and does not reflect any kind of ranking.

So here goes:

  • PHP Official website – This is the home of PHP, and your best source for information on bugs, updates, and PHP documentation. There is also an extensive faq, mailing lists, and a page of useful links. Definitely your best first stop for all things PHP.
  • Digital Point Forums – Webmaster forums with a section for PHP. This is an excellent site to join and ask questions about any coding problems, and to learn about web design and webmaster issues in general. Excellent responses from members.
  • Sitepoint Forums – Another excellent webmaster forum and great resource for anyone venturing into PHP. Very helpful place.
  • HypertextFever Forums – This is a new forum that’s really cool and shows great promise for being a great resource. It has a lot more of a personal feel to it. While the bigger more established forums are awesome, sometimes when you’re a novice you need a smaller setting so that you don’t feel too intimidated… I know I do. Great quality responses, and the owner of the forum is a PHP/MySQL guru, and responds fast and extensively to all questions, so this is a great place for anyone who wants to learn and grow.
  • Joe Watkins – PHP Programmer – This website is a bit more advanced but has useful PHP scripts and interesting tips and code. You can register and subscribe to the feed to get the latest posts.

There are numerous more and I will be adding them as I go, after I evaluate them. I may eventually build a link page to list them all. If you know any exceptional ones that should absolutely not be left out please feel free to leave a comment and I will add them to my growing list!

For now… happy coding!