Has anyone here learnt PHP/SQL from a website or book?

AfterEffect · 5 Apr 2009 at 00:12

I'm trying to get my head around learning PHP + SQL. I know the absolute basics, but that's about it.

I love images etc rather then a block of text as I tend to learn better that way.

Anyone have any good ideas? I've had a quick search around but my google-fu is failing me

MarcLister · 5 Apr 2009 at 00:21

Sitepoint have some decent PHP/SQL books. Bought a few some weeks ago. They have both printed books to order and PDF downloadables.

dave-lew99 · 5 Apr 2009 at 00:48

I used www.tizag.com when i was starting out, it's usefully broken down into small chunks of useful info.

intellix · 5 Apr 2009 at 01:06

Yeah, I learnt PHP through reading Matt Zandstra's Learn PHP in 24 Hours and will read his PHP Objects, Patterns and Practise next

but I do think w3schools is a good source, as well as tizag

dangerstat · 5 Apr 2009 at 12:08

IMHO it depends on your background whether you'd pcik something like PhP up from a book. If you have a decent amount of experience with a scripting language (E.g. Perl) then you can pick up PhP in about 2 hours and all you really need is a reference book.

If your completely new to programming of any sort then your better off with some formal training TBH>

reefoid · 5 Apr 2009 at 12:51

I had little programming but lots of database experience, I picked up a book called Learning PHP and MySQL by O'Reilly. Did the trick for me, got a decent knowledge of PHP in just a couple of days. Then just get your hands dirty with it, IMO that's always the best way to learn.

Izi · 5 Apr 2009 at 13:51

if u have any mates who know it I always find being taught by someone with experiance a great way to get moving quickly, then learn the rest from books and web resources.

AfterEffect · 5 Apr 2009 at 22:30

Thanks for all the advice

I've had a look around on some links posted, and have been copying down certain parts to use as a reference on a piece of A4.. working great

Feel quite confident in the basic parts of PHP/MySQL now

RobH · 5 Apr 2009 at 22:49

I found "PHP 6 and MySQL 5 for Dynamic Web Sites" by Larry Ullman to be a really good book to start with, it covers the basics and has 2 full chapters dealing dedicated to MySQL alone. The MySQL chapters do not involve PHP which is good because it is essential to understand it in isolation before using it with PHP, the later chapters go into using it with PHP.

Matt Zandstra's book on patterns is quite good but make sure you get the second edition as the first version was written with an early release of PHP 5 and he made several assumptions about PHP 5 features that were changed which can lead to you getting stuck.