Easy Learning PHP, MySQL & JavaScript

About the Author

Robin Nixon has been a software developer and author since the 1980s and has written over 30 books on the subject. His book Learning PHP, MySQL & JavaScript was first published in 2009 and since then its various editions have remained some of the top-selling books on web development worldwide, and are used as course material for numerous courses in colleges and universities. Robin’s books have been translated into many different languages and he has also produced a range of video tutorials.

Book details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ O'Reilly Media; 6th edition (August 17, 2021)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 826 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1492093823
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1492093824
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.9 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7 x 1.75 x 9.25 inches

Reading to learn 

• Explore MySQL from database structure to complex queries
• Use the MySQL PDO extension, PHP's improved MySQL interface
• Create dynamic PHP web pages that tailor themselves to the user
• Manage cookies and sessions and maintain a high level of security
• Enhance JavaScript with the React library
• Use Ajax calls for background browser-server communication
• Style your web pages by acquiring CSS skills
• Implement HTML5 features, including geolocation, audio, video, and the canvas element
• Reformat your websites into mobile web apps

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  From the 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 some other integrated frameworks that are harder to learn. Due to its open source roots, 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 platform will need to master these technologies. And, combined with the partner technologies of JavaScript, React, CSS, and HTML5, you will be able to create websites of the caliber of industry standards like Facebook, Twitter, & Gmail.

  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 have already mastered creating static websites, or a CMS such as WordPress, 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 responsive web design will obtain a thorough grounding in the core technologies of PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, CSS, and HTML5, and you’ll learn the basics of the React library, too.`

  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, JavaScript, CSS, or HTML5—although if you do, your progress through the book will be even quicker.

  Organization of This Book

  The chapters in this book are written in a specific order, first introducing all 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 first 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 to how to generate 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 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 next few chapters, you will gain a thorough grounding in JavaScript, from simple functions and event handling to accessing the Document Object Model, in-browser validation, and error handling. You’ll also get a comprehensive primer on using the popular React library for JavaScript.

  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.

  Next, you’ll spend two chapters learning all about using CSS to style and lay out your web pages, before discovering how the React libraries can make your development job a great deal easier. You’ll then move on to the final section on the interactive features built into HTML5, including geolocation, audio, video, and the canvas. After this, you’ll put together everything you’ve learned in a complete set of programs that together constitute a fully functional social networking website.

  Along the way, you’ll find plenty of advice on good programming practices and tips that can 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.