PHP for Absolute Beginners

by Jason Lengstorf, Thomas Blom Hansen

Overview

PHP is a server-side scripting language that enables you to develop dynamic sites that engage users in ways that are simply not possible using only HTML and CSS. PHP for Absolute Beginners takes a practical approach to teaching you how to build dynamic content for your website using PHP. You’ll quickly get started with practical PHP projects, learning how to build a dynamic image gallery. By the end of the book you’ll will have developed a personal blog complete with a password protected admin module.

PHP for Absolute Beginners won't swamp you with every detail of the full PHP language up front – instead, you’ll be introduced to a small, versatile subset of PHP and learn to use it creatively to develop dynamic web sites. In the process you will learn to use variables, control structures, functions, and objects to your advantage. You will learn how to plan and create databases and how to organize your PHP scripts beautifully. At the end of the book, you will be a confident PHP user, ready to take the next steps in creating great websites.

What you’ll learn

• Set up a PHP development environment
• Build database-driven PHP web sites
• Learn the basics of object-oriented programming with PHP
• Create MySQL databases
• Create a dynamic image gallery with file uploads
• Develop a personal blog with a password protected admin module

Who this book is for

PHP for Absolute Beginners is for people who already know some HTML and CSS – but no previous programming experience is required. You will learn how to develop highly maintainable, dynamic websites with modern, object-oriented PHP.

Table of Contents

1. Setting Up a PHP Development Environment

2. Understanding PHP: Language Basics

3. Form Management

4. Building a Dynamic Image Gallery with Image Upload

5. Spicing Up Your Image Gallery with JavaScript and CSS

6. Working with Databases

7. Building the Entry Manager

8. Showing Blog Entries

9. Deleting and Updating Blog Entries

10. Improving Your Blog with User Comments and Search

11. Adding Images to Blog Entries

12. Password Protection

13. Going Public with Your Blog

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781430268147
Publisher:	Apress
Publication date:	08/07/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Jason Lengstorf is a 27-year-old turbogeek from Portland, OR. He started building websites in his late teens when his band couldn t afford to pay someone to do it, and he continued building websites after he realized his band wasn t actually very good. He s been a full-time freelance web developer since 2007, and expanded his business under the name Copter Labs, which is now a distributed freelance collective, keeping about 10 freelancers worldwide busy. He is also the author of PHP for Absolute Beginners and Pro PHP and jQuery.
Thomas Blom Hansen has extensive experience teaching web programming at the DIGITAL institute at Copenhagen School of Design & Technology. When he is not teaching you can find Thomas flyfishing for sea-run brown trout in the coastal waters around Denmark or possibly hiking some wilderness area in southern scandinavia. Thomas lives in a small village with his wife, three kids, too few flyrods and a light-weight camping hammock.

Table of Contents

Getting Started.- Setting Up the PHP Development Environment.- Understanding PHP: Language Basics.- Passing Information with PHP.- Working with Databases.- Building Your Blog.- Building the Entry Manager.- Adding Support for Multiple Pages.- Updating and Deleting Entries.- Adding the Ability to Upload Images.- Reaching Out to Site Visitors.- Syndicating the Blog.- Adding a Commenting System to Your Blog.- Adding Password Protection to Administrative Links.- Finishing Touches.