Learn PHP - Introduction

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.

Before going any further, I want to make it clear: I’m not selling anything, working on behalf of anyone, and my claims are from my own personal experience.

Also, if you know a thing or two about PHP and think I’m missing something important - please leave a comment, I’ll be sure to check it out, and find a place for it in this guide.

PHP compared to other languages

I’ll be honest, there are a number of great back-end programming languages out there. I’ve dabbled with ASP (and its .NET iterations), and am not going to bad mouth it. The best advice I can give is to find a (powerful and flexible) programming language you like and stick with it*.

*As an aside, my personal advice is to shy away from Coldfusion. I apologize to you .cfm programmers out there, but Coldfusion is unfortunately becoming a legacy language.

There are a number of things PHP has going for it.

First off, PHP is open source. This means its not only free, but its constantly being developed; the newest release, 5.2.5, was released less than 3 months ago.

Second, PHP utilizes just one language, which means you can read and decipher anyone else’s code. And since its a derivative of the C family of languages, its pretty logical to follow - especially if you have any coding experience.

Third, the documentation and online resources are excellent. Learning PHP is an absolute breeze.

And lastly, its used all over the web on sites like Wordpress and Facebook for good reason: its a powerful and flexible back-end language.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s get this learning experience on the road.

The Learn PHP series on Chris Laskey Design

Here’s the table of contents for the Learn PHP series, which will guide you through some of the best resources on the web. The series is designed for making the process of learning PHP an absolute breeze. And without further ado,

• Learn PHP - Part 1: Setting up your Amp An introduction to the technical side of the language, including a discussion about virtual servers. After this article, you’ll be ready to plunge into your first PHP code.
• Learn PHP - Part 2: Zend 101 Zend’s own Tutorial, PHP 101 is one of the best places to start learning PHP. In this article we’ll explain what makes it spectacular, and get you on the right track.
• Learn PHP - Part 3: Expanding your Resources Covering the PHP Manual and Code Libraries, we keep the PHP ball rolling with ways to increase your coding skills. This is also the first post written for both newcomers and experienced PHP coders alike.
• Learn PHP - Part 4: Taking Part in the Community We’ll see how incredibly easy and rewarding it is to join in the PHP Community. Covering IRC Chatrooms, User Groups, Mailing Lists, News Groups, and Forums, you’ll have everything you need to get help, hone your PHP skills, or just blow off some steam.
• Learn PHP - Part 5: PHP used with other languages, including its interaction with MySQL and Ajax.
• Learn PHP - Part 6: A place for frequently asked questions, and discussion about what to include in future revisions of this series.