10 Books To Help You Master PHP Development

PHP is a powerful tool for making dynamic and interactive Web pages. PHP is the widely-used, free, and efficient alternative to competitors such as Microsoft’s ASP. If you are just starting up trying to learn PHP then this post is just what you’re looking for as it list 10 really good books that will get you started well. Of course, the list is subjective and you may have a different list of books in mind.

PHP and MySQL Web Development (4th Edition)

by Luke Welling, and Laura Thomson

Buy it.

PHP and MySQL Web Development shows how to use these tools together to produce effective, interactive Web applications. It clearly describes the basics of the PHP language, explains how to set up and work with a MySQL database, and then shows how to use PHP to interact with the database and the server.

Learn PHP , MySQL and JavaScript

by Robin Nixon

Buy it

PHP, MySQL, and JavaScript: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Dynamic Websites is a good starting off point for anyone wanting to learn web development with PHP, MySQL, and JavaScript. Readers with little programming experience should be able to follow the discussion without much trouble. PHP, MySQL, and JavaScript perhaps goes a bit fast for someone with no programming experience whatsoever, but does not assume expert programmer status. The PHP and MySQL sections are very well explained and would be great for someone with little experience. For someone with a lot of experience in other programming languages, the PHP section might be a bit slow, but can fairly easily be skimmed to get the main content. Readers who are new to programming will have enough information to write working code, even if they don’t understand all of the nuances behind the language.

PHP 6 and MySQL 5 for Dynamic Web Sites

by Larry Ullman

Buy it.

PHP 6 and MySQL 5 for Dynamic Web Sites: Visual QuickPro Guide provide a winning open source combination. Add this book to the mix, and there’s no limit to the powerful, interactive Web sites that users can create. With step-by-step instructions, complete scripts, and expert tips to guide readers, veteran author and database designer Larry Ullman gets right down to business: After grounding readers with separate discussions of first the scripting language (PHP) and then the database program (MySQL),

PHP Cookbook : Solution and Examples for PHP Programers

by Adam Trachtenberg, and David Sklar

Buy it.

The PHP Cookbook is a collection of problems, solutions, and practical examples for PHP programmers. The book contains a unique and extensive collection of best practices for everyday PHP programming dilemmas. It contains over 250 recipes, ranging from simple tasks to entire programs that demonstrate complex tasks, such as printing HTML tables and generating bar charts — a treasure trove of useful code for PHP programmers, from novices to advanced practitioners.

PHP Object – Oriented Solution

by David Powers

Buy it.

This version-neutral book is a gentle introduction to Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) that wont overburden you with complex theory. It teaches you the essential basics of OOP that youll need to know before moving onto a more advanced level, and includes a series of pre-packaged scripts that you can incorporate into your existing sites with the minimum of effort.

Head First PHP  & MySQL

by Lynn Beighley, and Michael Morrison

Buy it.

Head First PHP & MySQL 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

Programming PHP

by Rasmus Lerdorf, Kevin Tatroe, and Peter MacIntyre

Buy it.

“Programming PHP,” 2nd Edition, is the authoritative guide to PHP 5 and is filled with the unique knowledge of the creator of PHP (Rasmus Lerdorf) and other PHP experts. When it comes to creating websites, the PHP scripting language is truly a red-hot property. In fact, PHP is currently used on more than 19 million websites, surpassing Microsoft’s ASP .NET technology in popularity. Programmers love its flexibility and speed; designers love its accessibility and convenience.

Beginning PHP and MySQL

by W.J. Gilmore

Buy it.

Beginning PHP and MySQL From Novice to Professional, Third Edition” offers a comprehensive introduction to two of the most prominent open source technologies on the planet: the PHP scripting language and the MySQL database server. Updated to introduce the features found in MySQLs most significant release to date, readers learn how to take advantage of the latest features of both technologies to build powerful, manageable, and stable web applications.

PHP Objects, Patterns, Third Edition

by Matt Zandstra

Buy it.

PHP Objects, Patterns, and Practice, Second Edition shows you how to meld the power of PHP with the sound enterprise development techniques embraced by professional programmers. Going well beyond the basics of object-oriented development, you’ll learn about advanced topics such as working with static methods and properties, abstract classes, interfaces, design patterns, exception handling, and more. You’ll also be exposed to key tools such as PEAR, CVS, Phing, and phpDocumentor.

Securing PHP Web Application

by Tricia Ballad, and William Ballad

Buy it.

Securing PHP Web Applications will help you master the specific techniques, skills, and best practices you need to write rock-solid PHP code and harden the PHP software you’re already using. Drawing on more than fifteen years of experience in Web development, security, and training, Tricia and William Ballad show how security flaws can find their way into PHP code, and they identify the most common security mistakes made by PHP developers.