PHP 4 Developer's Guide (Paperback)

by Blake Schwendiman (Conductor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
*PHP--a server-side, embedded HTML scripting language--is used to develop dynamic Web content. * Hot language--Red Hat and Mitsubishi are among the companies that use PHP as their Web development solution. It's also the most popular Apache module. * This book provides the tools and information needed to build dynamic Web applications and databases with PHP 4. * Covers installation, configuration, database connectivity, working with XML and CGL, and much more. * Includes details on the new features in PHP 4, including shared memory support, the new Zend engine, and XML support.

From the Back Cover

A Complete Resource for Developing Applications with PHP4

Build dynamic database-enabled Web applications with PHP4 using this comprehensive sourcebook. You¿ll learn to take advantage of all of the new enhancements--including sessions, a faster interpreter, and enhanced Java and XML support--that make this easy-to-learn language ideal for developing Web applications. Filled with real-world examples that show how to build both template-based and database-driven sites, this book contains all the essential tools and information for creating rich Web content. Covering everything from installation and configuration to interaction with existing codebases, this book offers complete guidance for today¿s professional developer.

You¿ll find everything you need to:
* Master all of the new features of PHP4
* Process and validate forms
* Separate HTML from PHP4 code
* Debug and re-use code
* Work with templates and databases
* Generate static HTML pages from dynamic data

For clear, detailed information on working with PHP4--including coverage of its latest features--no other book can offer the same depth and breadth of coverage as this invaluable guide.

Special features include:

* PHP4 language overview
* Coverage of installation and configuration
* Debugging tips and techniques
* Appendices containing function lists, build options, and Internet resources
* Hundreds of real-world examples for creating dynamic Web sites

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Product Details

• Paperback: 775 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies (January 12, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0072127317
• ISBN-13: 978-0072127317
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,155,154 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For Serious PHP4 Developers, February 24, 2001

By	Mike A (US) - See all my reviews

If you are a serious PHP4 developer you will get plenty of long term benefit from this book. The author is really clear with complex topics and his generous samples of code examples are well written. Although the book is 775 pages, the developers guide chapters are all covered in the first 342 pages. There is a 391 page appendix of alphabetically listed and defined PHP functions which can come in handy, a listing of predefined variables and constants, and an appendix on build options. I found the chapters on code reuse and separating html from php quite useful. More database coverage would have been nice, and, like a lot of technical books theses days, I thought it was a little over priced. Overall, this is one of the better books on the subject that is available, and I do highly recommend it.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good but pricey, February 13, 2001

By	"foxxfyre" (MD United States) - See all my reviews

The book assumes knowledge of SQL and HTML, so it is not for newbies. Overall it was good, has great examples, well written. Author knows his stuff. Half this huge book is the PHP function reference which you can get for free online. Tells how to set up shopping cart, other advanced structures. Best points: 1. Promotes good design structure 2. Covers security issues 3. Shopping cart setup 4. Great reference tables for basic PHP language constructs

Bad points: 1. Expensive 2. Not all functions mentioned are in the reference, such as "include" 3. Needs more examples. I like two per main concept All in all, if you don't care about $$$, good to have on hand. (I paid $65 in a book store. Amazon had better deal)

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Finally - a Serious PHP Reference Guide!, February 11, 2001

By	[e-mail] (CO USA) - See all my reviews

This is the first serious PHP Developer Guide and reference book that we have used! Well written with an easy to use presentation and with sufficient depth to remain useful well into the future.

We have used PHP3/4 on our own LAN and Web servers for more than two years now and have relied upon the PHP online documentation as well as several popular print books (writing our own when necessary). For the most part we have been disappointed in the printed material. But Blake Schwendiman has finally put together a useful book for the serious developer!

The style and format make it easy to use for both the novice wishing to learn PHP 4, and the experienced developer in need of a useful reference on the shelf. We recommend it for both!

Our only small disappointment was the single chapter devoted to data base support. Data base support is PHP's most powerful feature in our opinion and we expected a bit more. That said, this is a PHP Developer's Guide and not a data base reference, and the information given is sufficient to get you up and running.

Computer developer books by nature quickly become 'dated'. But for the serious developer, this one will serve a long and useful life! Highly recommended!