Customer Reviews

PHP Bible, 2nd Edition

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this book because I needed a good PHP reference, and I don't regret it. It is current through PHP 4.2 and it describes many features that are available in Zend Engine 2 (ZE2 wasn't released yet at time of publication).

It is an easy read (an important element often overlooked in technical references), without leaving out any of the requisite technical 'goodies', but I would have liked a little more in-depth advanced information. While technically correct, several 'advanced' topics only received the most superficial of explanations, and in one case, a common (and beguiling) misconception involving Object Oriented Programming techniques was explained away as "Obscure".

There are plenty of excellent discussions about the most awkward aspects of PHP development, and it is obvious that the authors are experienced web developers. I learned much that I didn't know, and I enjoyed the authors' candor when, in several instances, they admit that they were confused or stumped at first by one feature or another.

I think most beginning to intermediate web developers, whether independent or as part of a team, will find this book very useful and full of good information; but if you need a truly advanced understanding of PHP, you'd better look elsewhere.

I am a php programmer at UNL. I have been using this book for some time. PHP bible (2nd ed) is a great book for the beginners and intermediate programmers. And it also includes directions for the advanced users where to find code pieces, classes or programming techniques (like PEAR). The Language of this book is clear and concise. And the code samples works perfectly. If you are interested in PHP, this book is definitely worth checking out.

I know that many people love this book, but I'm not one of them. I'm an experienced programmer and this book was not helpful to me. The way the book generalizes about programming concepts, databases and PHP itself makes me think that it is perhaps intended for beginners. Within the zillion pages that this book contains, I'm sure there is useful information. But the book rambles, it doesn't teach. Another book -- "PHP and MySQL Web Development" by Welling and Thomson -- takes an approach focused on real-world examples. That book works a lot better for me.

I'm a PHP beginner-intermediate, and I use this book on an open source project called mod_pubsub as my primary PHP reference for PHP through 4.2. The authors have an easy-to-read style, and they are very honest when it comes to what PHP can and cannot do. I definitely recommend this book for other PHP beginners and intermediates.

I have bought a lot of books about a lot of computer-subjects but I have never bought a book
where the information was so well structured and explained.
It is a perfect guide for php beginners (such as myself about a month ago) and I have the impression that this book
is a great addition to the knowledge of more advanced php users.
With a lot of "ready-to-use" scripts they quide you from beginning php towards becomming an advanced php programmer.
I began this book about one month ago and now I am programming more serious work with great help from this book.
If you chouse to start programming php or want an addition to you're current knowledge this book
should be more than satisfying.

This book is simply GREAT!
All your doubts about PHP will disappear... it contains absolutely all that you want to know about PHP to make great applications related with your website.
One of the best things about this book is that you can start from ZERO. You don't have to be an expert computer engineer nor know anything about PHP, it is explained here from the most simple variable to the most complicated and advanced technique between PHP and MySQL.

It contains a lot of information (well, it's a big book... more that 1000 pages) and a lot of examples that are so simple that anyone could understand.

Also, this book talk about many other issues related with PHP, like Data Bases, XML, etc...

Buy it, I really recommend it for ANYONE...

A LITTLE WARNING:
If you want to use this great book, you have to know at least a little bit of HTML, because PHP is a language that improves HTML... If you don't know anything about HTML, you'll not love this book as much as I love it... so, I recommend that before you get this book, you study some HTML : )

This book has a wealth of information, even though its organization of the subjects leaves something to be desired. Some reviewers state it is good for beginners, I refute it. Except for a few chapters, the book is definitely not for beginners. There is so much information on so many pages that important concepts get lost amongst those which are less important. Possibly, the connotation of calling the book a Bible inspired the extensive subject coverage.

Reading this book, I often had the impression that examples had some details lacking, when partial scripts were given. It was impossible not to compare this book to Larry Ullman's PHP for the World Wide Web, which had its examples presented in the clearest possible way.

In spite of some comments detracting from the value of the book, it is comprehensive, and covers more subject areas than other PHP books. Between this book and the PHP Manual a student can make up his or her own examples, and learn that way. If I had more ambition I would, with the author's and the publisher's blessing, write an adjunct book with detailed and tested examples to complement this Bible. I find it difficult to decide whether I should rate it three or four stars. Knowing the monumental work it had taken to write this book, I give it four stars.

This book is not up to date niether is the scripts that are for download. ALSO and must importantly, there is no support for this book. I emailed the author and got no response. Not so great for beginners. Try another book.

This is one of the books I used starting in 2004 to learn PHP. I still find myself returning to it from time to time. There are easier books for the PHP newbie such as Larry Ullman's PHP for the WWW, but this book can work OK for a newbie. PHP Bible (2nd) is way too big to read cover to cover, but functions well as a refresher & reference. I believe it is a decent basic to intermediate level PHP book. It covers subjects with a good balance of direct information & good short examples, without being too verbose.

I find the official PHP manual difficult at times, with no other simple straight forward reference books available. That probably makes PHP Bible the best reference for a beginning to intermediate PHP programmer. Anyone who is truly an advanced PHP programmer will find this book too simplistic and rudimentary.

The biggest problem is that PHP5 has been out for about two years and PHP Bible has not been updated yet. If there was another good PHP reference around, I would rate PHP Bible 3 stars, but under the circumstances, it gets 4 stars.

I do not love this book, but it functions well, and makes a good investment for anyone serious about PHP.

I was very pleased when I received this book (and ,in general, am very happy with most of the "______ Bible" reference books).

As an experienced ASP, VBScript, PERL, etc... programmer, when I was appoached to write a site in PHP, I needed a book to get me up to speed in this language with the quickness.

Explains everything from deployment to security concerns in an easy to read fashion, covers all of the usual suspects (POST, GET, ODBC, fair amount of mySQL, etc...) and common PHP conventions/algorithms.