If you're ready to create web pages more complex than those you can build with HTML and CSS, Head First PHP & MySQL is the ultimate learning guide to building dynamic, database-driven websites using PHP and MySQL. Packed with real-world examples, this book teaches you all the essentials of server-side programming, from the fundamentals of PHP and MySQL coding to advanced topics such as form validation, session IDs, cookies, database queries and joins, file I/O operations, content management, and more.

Head First PHP & MySQL offers the same visually rich format that's turned every title in the Head First series into a bestseller, with plenty of exercises, quizzes, puzzles, and other interactive features to help you retain what you've learned.

• Use PHP to transform static HTML pages into dynamic web sites
• Create and populate your own MySQL database tables, and work with data stored in files
• Perform sophisticated MySQL queries with joins, and refine your results with LIMIT and ORDER BY
• Use cookies and sessions to track visitors' login information and personalize the site for users
• Protect your data from SQL injection attacks
• Use regular expressions to validate information on forms
• Dynamically display text based on session info and create images on the fly
• Pull syndicated data from other sites using PHP and XML

In just 24 lessons of one hour or less, you can learn how to use HTML and CSS to design, create, and maintain world-class web sites. Using a clear, down-to-earth approach, each lesson builds upon the previous one, allowing even complete beginners to learn the essentials from the ground up.

Full-color figures and clear step-by-step instructions help you learn quickly.

Practical, hands-on examples show you how to apply what you learn.

Quizzes and Exercises help you test your knowledge and stretch your skills.

Learn how to…

Build your own web page and get it online in an instant

Format text for maximum clarity and readability

Create links to other pages and to other sites

Add graphics, color, and visual pizazz to your web pages

Work with transparent images and background graphics

Design your site’s layout and typography using CSS

Get user input with web-based forms

Publicize your site and make it search-engine friendly

Test a web site for compatibility with different browsers

Make your site easy to maintain and update as it grows

Free Access to Online Learning Lab

Register your book at informit.com/register for free, exclusive access to the Online Learning Lab to supplement this book’s lessons:

Video walkthroughs to show you how to complete the step-by-step examples in the book

Fast and fun online quizzes to test your understanding of each lesson

Updates or corrections as they become available