| This is a book about PHP, the open source Web scripting language that has joined Perl, ASP,
and Java on the select list of languages that can be used to create dynamic online
environments. It is also a book about programming. In the space available, it is neither
possible to create a complete guide to programming in PHP nor to cover every function and
technique that PHP offers. Nevertheless, whether you are an experienced programmer
considering a move to PHP or a newcomer to scripting, the steps in this book should provide
enough information to get your journey off to a good start.
Consisting of 24 one-hour lessons, Sams Teach Yourself PHP4 in 24 Hours is divided into five sections that guide you through the language from the basics to the advanced functions. The first section of the book teaches the fundamentals of PHP. Building upon what has been taught in the first section, sections two through four show you how to apply that knowledge in order to interact with the user by creating and managing forms, cookies and authentication. It also teaches how to access databases and how to integrate system components, e-mail, LDAP, network sockets and much more. The final section of the book covers advanced functionality including how to debug and optimize scripts, maintain script security, and extend PHP with API. |
