Best way to learn PHP

[Inferno0032]

Been running into need for PHP skills alot lately, and would like to start learning. Is picking up a book probably the best way for me to do so for learning on my free time?

Have any recommendations?

 

[TheKub]

LAMP. Its all free.

I'm far from an expert but I can do it in a pinch. Never had a book there are enough tutorials on the web to get you to "hello world" and beyond.

Short answer, just do it.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

For online PHP tutorials, start at w3 schools.

 

[DaveSimmons]

w3schools seems to be stuck at PHP4 on many of their pages though, php.net has a more up-to-date PHP5 reference.
http://us.php.net/manual/en/index.php

Compare this weak page from w3schools:
http://www.w3schools.com/php/func_string_strpos.asp

to this more useful page from php.net:
http://us.php.net/manual/en/function.strpos.php

 

[Ken g6]

Do you have any programming experience? That could make a big difference in what you need. Personally, I'm to the point that once I get the syntax, a reference is all I want or need.

P.S. If I were you, I'd learn PHP with classes, too.

 

[VinylxScratches]

The syntax for PHP makes me want to gouge my eyes out.

 

[Inferno0032]

No programming experience, only extremely basic HTML, so I think I should start with HTML, and that will help alot.

Will be taking C/C++ come fall.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: VinylxScratches
The syntax for PHP makes me want to gouge my eyes out.

It's close enough to C++ not to bother me much. What I hate is the lack of strong typing and the single-step debugging I have in Visual Studio.

$item1 = 5 ;
$item2 = 8 ;
$result = $iten1 + $item2 ; // no errors, but doesn't == 13 !

grrrr.

 

[Snapster]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons

Originally posted by: VinylxScratches
The syntax for PHP makes me want to gouge my eyes out.

It's close enough to C++ not to bother me much. What I hate is the lack of strong typing and the single-step debugging I have in Visual Studio.

$item1 = 5 ;
$item2 = 8 ;
$result = $iten1 + $item2 ; // no errors, but doesn't == 13 !

grrrr.

This ^^ Also best way to learn is to do, even a random php book/pdf will get you on the way.

 

[Teching]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons

Originally posted by: VinylxScratches
The syntax for PHP makes me want to gouge my eyes out.

It's close enough to C++ not to bother me much. What I hate is the lack of strong typing and the single-step debugging I have in Visual Studio.

$item1 = 5 ;
$item2 = 8 ;
$result = $iten1 + $item2 ; // no errors, but doesn't == 13 !

grrrr.

Well of course doesnt == 13, because you are adding $iten1, not $item1

 

[DaveSimmons]

^ of course, but in C++ the compiler would save me from my typo by reporting $iten as an undefined variable and as being used before being assigned a value. It would also be obvious single-stepping through the code that iten contained a garbage value.

 

[JasonCoder]

Totally with you Dave. And this is hyped to no end as a boon of "loosely typed" languages.

 

[Woosta]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
^ of course, but in C++ the compiler would save me from my typo by reporting $iten as an undefined variable and as being used before being assigned a value. It would also be obvious single-stepping through the code that iten contained a garbage value.

All you'd have to do is turn on error_reporting with error_reporting(E_ALL); and you'll get "Undefined variable: iten1".

Not that I really like or favor PHP...