How do I learn php ?

[Twey]

Tizag's tutorials are pretty poor, too. If you follow them or the W3Schools tutorial, be sure to cross-reference them with my list of common coding errors, linked from my signature. Hopefully you shouldn't miss too many if you do that. The official PHP tutorial isn't bad.

[JasonDFR]

Visual Quickpro Guide

"PHP 6 AND MYSQL 5"

by Larry Ullman

I have been through this book cover to cover. I highly recommend it.

You do not need PHP 6 to use it.

It has practical examples and all the code works as advertised.

After you get through this book, start learning the Object Oriented PHP stuff ASAP.

I am starting to look at other languages and OOP is definitely the way to go.

PHP might not be the best language to learn first.

If I had it to do over again, I would have learned javascript first, then probably Python instead of PHP, but, if you already have a decent understanding of PHP, keep learning.

As far as a project goes. You should try to build a "Contact Form" that will allow visitors to your site to enter their name, email address, and a message, then have all of that information sent to your email address. Be sure to focus on validating the information that the user submits to your form.

Next do a log in system. Then add a MySQL database to store the user names and passwords.

You definitely need to find some practical stuff and make it work. That's how you'll learn.

[Twey]

If it's programming in general you want to learn, then I recommend you this post I made in response to similar questions about Java: http://dynamicdrive.com/forums/showp...postcount=1337 (and I do recommend you do this at some point in the future, even if you need PHP right now — you won't be a decent programmer until you do).

[JasonDFR]

Twey gives very very good advice.

I have read his post and agree 100%.

Because of him I have read the SICP book and am on my way to becoming a great programer.

If any of you guys are serious about programming, follow Twey's advice.

Thanks again Twey.