Preface

The combination of PHP and MySQL is the most convenient approach to dynamic, database-driven web design, holding its own in the face of challenges from integrated frameworks—such as Ruby on Rails—that are harder to learn. Due to its open source roots (unlike the competing Microsoft .NET framework), it is free to implement and is therefore an extremely popular option for web development.

Any would-be developer on a Unix/Linux or even a Windows/Apache platform will need to master these technologies. At the same time, the JavaScript is important, as it provides the hidden communication with the web server to create seamless interfaces.

P.1. Audience

This book is for people who wish to learn how to create effective and dynamic websites. This may include webmasters or graphic designers who are already creating static websites but wish to take their skills to the next level as well as high school and college students, recent graduates, and self-taught individuals.

In fact, anyone ready to learn the fundamentals behind the Web 2.0 technology known as Ajax will obtain a thorough grounding in all three of the core technologies: PHP, MySQL, and JavaScript.

P.2. Assumptions This Book Makes

This book assumes that you have a basic understanding of HTML and can at least put together a simple, static website, but does not assume that you have any prior knowledge of PHP, MySQL, or JavaScript—although if you do, your progress through the book will be even quicker.

P.3. Organization of This Book

The chapters in this book are written in a specific order, first introducing all three of the core technologies it covers and then walking you through their installation on a web development server, so that you will be ready to work through the examples.

In the following section, you will gain a grounding in the PHP programming language, covering the basics of syntax, arrays, functions, and object-oriented programming.

Then, with PHP under your belt, you will move on to an introduction to the MySQL database system, where you will learn everything from how MySQL databases are structured up to generating complex queries.

After that, you will learn how you can combine PHP and MySQL to start creating your own dynamic web pages by integrating forms and other HTML features. You will then spend some time looking at ways to speed up your web development using Smarty templates.

In the next three chapters, you will get down to the nitty-gritty practical aspects of PHP and MySQL development by learning a variety of useful functions and how to manage cookies and sessions, as well as how to maintain a high level of security.

In the following four chapters, you will gain a thorough grounding in JavaScript, from simple functions and event handling to accessing the Document Object Model and in-browser validation and error handling.

With an understanding of all three of these core technologies, you will then learn how to make behind-the-scenes Ajax calls and turn your websites into highly dynamic environments.

Finally, you’ll put together everything you’ve learned in a complete set of PHP programs that together constitute a fully working social networking website.

Along the way, you’ll also find plenty of pointers and advice on good programming practices and tips that could help you find and solve hard-to-detect programming errors. There are also plenty of links to websites containing further details on the topics covered.

P.4. Supporting Books

Once you have learned to develop using PHP, MySQL, and JavaScript you will be ready to take your skills to the next level using the following reference books:

• Dynamic HTML: The Definitive Reference by Danny Goodman (O’Reilly)

• PHP in a Nutshell by Paul Hudson (O’Reilly)

• MySQL in a Nutshell by Russell Dyer (O’Reilly)

• JavaScript: The Definitive Guide by David Flanagan (O’Reilly)

P.5. Conventions Used in This Book

The following typographical conventions are used in this book:

Plain text

Indicates menu titles, options, and buttons.

Italic

Indicates new terms, URLs, email addresses, filenames, file extensions, pathnames, directories, and Unix utilities.

Constant width

Indicates command-line options, variables and other code elements, HTML tags, macros, the contents of files, and the output from commands.

Constant width
          bold

Shows commands or other text that should be typed literally by the user; also occasionally used for emphasis.

Constant width italic

Shows text that should be replaced with user-supplied values.

---

Note:

This icon signifies a tip, suggestion, or general note.

---

---

Warning:

This icon indicates a warning or caution.

---

P.6. Using Code Examples

This book is here to help you get your job done. In general, you may use the code in this book in your programs and documentation. You do not need to contact us for permission unless you’re reproducing a significant portion of the code. For example, writing a program that uses several chunks of code from this book does not require permission. Selling or distributing a CD-ROM of examples from O’Reilly books does require permission. Answering a question by citing this book and quoting example code does not require permission. Incorporating a significant amount of example code from this book into your product’s documentation does require permission.

We appreciate, but do not require, attribution. An attribution usually includes the title, author, publisher, and ISBN. For example: “Learning PHP, MySQL, and JavaScript, by Robin Nixon. Copyright 2009 Robin Nixon, 978-0-596-15713-5.”

If you feel your use of code examples falls outside fair use or the permission given here, feel free to contact us at permissions@oreilly.com.

P.7. We’d Like to Hear from You

Every example in this book has been tested on various platforms, but occasionally you may encounter problems; for example, if you have a nonstandard installation or a different version of PHP, and so on. The information in this book has also been verified at each step of the production process. However, mistakes and oversights can occur and we will gratefully receive details of any you find, as well as any suggestions you would like to make for future editions. You can contact the author and editors at:

O’Reilly Media, Inc.

1005 Gravenstein Highway North

Sebastopol, CA 95472

(800) 998-9938 (in the United States or Canada)

(707) 829-0515 (international or local)

(707) 829-0104 (fax)

We have a web page for this book, where we list errata, examples, and any additional information. You can access this page at:

http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9780596157135

There is also a companion website to this book available online at:

http://lpmj.net

where you can see all the examples with color-highlighted syntax. To comment or ask technical questions about this book, send email to the following address, mentioning its ISBN number (9780596157135):

bookquestions@oreilly.com

For more information about our books, conferences, Resource Centers, and the O’Reilly Network, see our website at:

http://www.oreilly.com

P.8. Safari® Books Online

Safari offers a solution that’s better than e-books. It’s a virtual library that lets you easily search thousands of top tech books, cut and paste code samples, download chapters, and find quick answers when you need the most accurate, current information. Try it for free at http://my.safaribooksonline.com.

P.9. Acknowledgments

A huge thank you goes to my editor, Andy Oram, and all the folks at O’Reilly who worked so hard on this book, and without whom it could never have been written.

In particular I must thank my technical reviewers, Derek DeHart, Christoph Dorn, Tomislav Dugandzic, Becka Morgan, Harry Nixon, Alan Solis, and Demian Turner, for their help in ensuring the accuracy of this book.

I wish to also thank my wife, Julie, for her constant encouragement, and also Rachel, Hannah, Laura, Matthew, Harry, and Naomi, wonderful children who all helped with this project—each in their own way.