Best way to learn PHP?

[Drachewyn]

What is the best way to learn PHP? I know there are loads of freely and not so freely available scripts out there but I am not able to get exactly what I want either free or paid.

So I want to learn know how to get what I want myself using PHP. So what is best? A book, website, etc?

Any specific sites/titles for a complete beginner to PHP but not to coding in general would be helpful.

Drache :wink:

[elitecodex]

I will answer this question assuming the fact that you have some programming knowledge (prior programming experience). I learn best from examples and online-tutorials. Books are ok, but there are almost unlimited resources on the net for programming tutorials (at least in PHP). Why pay for something when its free, right?

I would recommend http://www.hotscripts.com. Not only do they have about 4000 PHP scripts for free, but they also have a section for "tip and tutorials" broken up into categories. Another site I just found similar to hot scripts is http://www.phpdotcom.com/main.php. Might have some luck there.

Everybody learns differently; this is just happens to be how I learn new programming languages. Have fun.

Will

[WiZARD]

What is the best way to learn PHP? I know there are loads of freely and not so freely available scripts out there but I am not able to get exactly what I want either free or paid.

So I want to learn know how to get what I want myself using PHP. So what is best? A book, website, etc?

Any specific sites/titles for a complete beginner to PHP but not to coding in general would be helpful.

Drache :wink:

Hi Drache :!:
I don't know how about other peaples?
I'm propose next:
1 Carefully reading all PHP-manual.
2 Purchase a book good book see at http://www.zend.com
3 Only after that you can see other scripts.

Why that? Cause if you reading only scripts you will know haw write scripts like other programmer, not more. If you need write scripts self do it haw i said :!:

:wink:

[Oleg Butuzov]

IMHo, best way to learn PHP

1) download Apache, PHP, MySQL
2) RTFM
3) purchase book about PHP
4) one time more RTFM
5) subscribe to some php mail list
6) practice, practice and one more time practice...



don forget to read f***** manual =)

P.S.)

php-forum.com

[Drachewyn]

Thank you for all the replies. This will certainly help as I really do want to learn this. :P

[WiZARD]

Thank you for all the replies. This will certainly help as I really do want to learn this. :P

And once more:
If you want to learn PHP an do not know from what begin, you can use script of other peaples but will best if you do use idea other peaples.

P.S.
I think what you will use my propose after read manual and books. :wink:

[khote]

http://www.php.net/support.php
I always look to the source (http://www.php.net) when I begin looking for more.
There is a site called the phpusergroups.org.
Check it out, perhaps there is a users group in your area

[Jay]

The best way to learn PHP is through practise, and lot's of it. I recommend getting a book (I used PHP 4.0 A Programmers Guide by Apress, it's very good, I have others but not as good as this) and go through the lessons. Also, get yourself a server with PHP and MySQL so you can test out the theories and practise.

Another way, which I wouldn't recommend until you've grasped the basics, is to find a script that does a task you want, and decode it. Look at it line by line and see what it's trying to accomplish. Soon enough you'll be making scripts of your own.

And if you're ever stuck, just ask

[Drachewyn]

Thanks for all the replies. I am doing my best to learn this and mainly because I have a specific project in mind ;)

Jay, Thanks for the advice. I do have a server where I can use PHP and set up MySQL databases etc.

It has all 20 of my domains on it. I have also worked with installing etc. other PHP scripts but really seek to create my own for this project.

Heidi

[khote]

http://sourceforge.net/projects/phpmyadmin/
be sure and get phpMyAdmin, if it isn't already installed on your server.
Another good reason to visit that site is http://sourceforge.net. Sourceforge is something every php programmer must know.

Also, you may find http://www.webmin.com/ Webmin to be very useful... It's perl-based, but it can talk to all parts of your server.

[Drachewyn]

http://sourceforge.net/projects/phpmyadmin/
be sure and get phpMyAdmin, if it isn't already installed on your server.
Another good reason to visit that site is http://sourceforge.net. Sourceforge is something every php programmer must know.

Also, you may find http://www.webmin.com/ Webmin to be very useful... It's perl-based, but it can talk to all parts of your server.

Thanks, Yeah I do have phpMyAdmin already. Used it once so far I think, maybe twice.

Heidi