Image courtesy of Zend

Welcome to Part 2 of Learning PHP. If you’ve come here directly, be sure to check out Learn PHP - Introduction for an overview of the entire series!

So who exactly is Zend?

To answer that, let’s go back to 1994. In the infancy of the internet as we know it, Rasmus Lerdorf created the first lines of PHP. Three years later, PHP was in its second revision/release when Zeev Suraski and Andi Gutmans arrived on the scene.

Read the rest of Learn PHP - Part 2: Zend 101

Photo: Ian Broyles

Welcome to Part I of Learning PHP. If you’ve come here directly, be sure to check out Learn PHP - Introduction for an overview of the entire series!

PHP lives on the server-side of town

Every programming language has many unique qualities, but they all share one common step - they need to be processed. Processing, or parsing in the case of PHP, takes the raw lines of code and converts it into useful data.

PHP is a server-side language. What does that mean? It means the server is the one responsible for processing the PHP code. In other words, when you write in PHP, the web server reads the code, parses it, and sends the result to the web browser. The web browser takes the information and displays it for everyone to read. You can see this process in the simple chart I made:

Read the rest of Learn PHP - Part 1: Setting up your AMP

Photo: ahxcjb

PHP is the greatest thing since sliced bread

Okay, maybe you won’t agree that its the greatest thing since sliced bread. But what’s undeniable is that knowing a back-end programming language opens a lot of doors for you. PHP gives you the power to write E-Commerce Sites, Blogging interfaces, image galleries, social networking sites, calendar and event lists… the list goes on.

Not to mention the time spent learning it can pay you back in spades. And let’s be honest, who do you think makes more money - the guy who can only design the layout of Facebook, or the guy who can design it and code it?

So what makes PHP better than the other back-end programming languages? The resources freely available on the internet about PHP are absolutely incredible. In one week you’ll be well on your way to your first Content Management System.

This guide will show you the way to some of the best resources on the web.

Read the rest of Learn PHP - Introduction

Photo: ahisgett

It’s done. I’ve officially stopped testing the waters and dived straight into starting a career as a Freelance Web Designer and owner of my own small business. Chris Laskey Design is corporation with a dashing young president (well, pending the paperwork going through).

That’s right baby, my days of freelance work are over before they ever started. I’m a corporate man now. It’s all powersuits from here on out. I’ve tasted the sweet nectar of upper management and I’m hooked.

Okay, okay, I’m kidding. Kind of.

Let’s start from the beginning. When I graduated from college in the spring of 2007 I had two degrees and no idea what direction to take my life. How’d I get into web design? Glad you asked.

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