PHP - favorite books and websites?

[DaveSimmons]

I'm a fairly experienced Win32 / C++ / MFC developer but I'm interested in picking up some PHP & MySQL skills. I've worked a little with ASP (not .net), Perl, javascript and HTML so I do understand the basics of forms, CGI and such.

So,
1. What book(s) do you recommend for learning PHP and MySQL if you aren't starting from nothing? I'm leaning towards the O'Reilly Press Learning PHP 5 -and- Web Database Applications with PHP & MySQL
2. What book(s) do you use as a day-to-day reference?
3. What websites do you have bookmarked to help with your PHP development?

 

[txrandom]

Website/book I like is hudzilla.com.

 

[troytime]

the php/mysql bible rocks

 

[George P Burdell]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
1. What book(s) do you recommend for learning PHP and MySQL if you aren't starting from nothing? I'm leaning towards the O'Reilly Press Learning PHP 5 -and- Web Database Applications with PHP & MySQL

Books from any major publishing name will suffice if you need to have a printed book. Otherwise, just google for books/tutorials online (like hudzilla).

2. What book(s) do you use as a day-to-day reference?

The php.net manual is helpful most of the time (especially the user comments). Otherwise, Google is your friend.

3. What websites do you have bookmarked to help with your PHP development?

Again, php.net and Google.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

PHP section of w3 schools. I have used this web site for other languages, and it's very useful.

 

[Alone]

PHP.net. They have a list of all the functions as well as examples of their use.

 

[jjones]

Originally posted by: Alone
PHP.net. They have a list of all the functions as well as examples of their use.

Yeah, I use this mostly when it comes to php. Even better is the Extended HTML Help file:

http://www.php.net/download-docs.php

Has the entire php manual as well as the user contributions in searchable windows help file .chm format, so you can keep it on your hard drive.

Also, if you search on Google, apparently Php 5 Power Programming is freely available for download in .pdf format.

 

[LeetestUnleet]

PHP.net's documentation is pretty good, and as already mentioned, so are the user comments there. It's not uncommon to find similar custom-made functions on the comments so they more easily fit a niche application.

Otherwise, for some free PHP classes and some pre-built PHP packages to mod if necessary, or learn from, or whatever, I use http:/www.phpclasses.org

 

[Beau]

Originally posted by: jjones

Originally posted by: Alone
PHP.net. They have a list of all the functions as well as examples of their use.

Yeah, I use this mostly when it comes to php. Even better is the Extended HTML Help file:

http://www.php.net/download-docs.php

Has the entire php manual as well as the user contributions in searchable windows help file .chm format, so you can keep it on your hard drive.

Also, if you search on Google, apparently Php 5 Power Programming is freely available for download in .pdf format.

Another plug for the CHM's. They keep them fairly updated, too.

 

[TeamZero]

For ultimate begginer tutorials http://www.tizag.com is a good resource.

 

[Alex]

Originally posted by: Alone
PHP.net. They have a list of all the functions as well as examples of their use.

and great user comments for pretty much all functions too

 

[hooflung]

php.net and google

I have a few books I keep as example reference, but google is just as good. PHP.net's documentation is stellar.