PHP effecient to building a whole site? need help - lost

[fabes253]

My Background

Ok so I messed around with very VERRRRY little html. I kinda understand the concept but am willing to read more and learn. Basically I created a page using w3schools.com as a tutorial but it was nothing major. So yes I am a complete noob to this stuff. I have watched a lot of youtubes on how to get started but a lot of the vids are very very basic and dont really explain much. I found a cool site xxamp that has a full installer for apache, mysql and filezilla. which is fantastic because I have no clue how to do any of that by myself. All I can do at this moment is provide a computer to learn and pay for hosting when im ready.

 

My Tools

Computer w/ good specs

XXAMP Download to install mysql, apache, filezilla so I dont have to config anything

Willingness to learn

A couple links for resources

Great Photoshop skills to create nice and clean page template designs

No programs atm but I can get them I just don't know what to get

 

What I am Trying To Accomplish

Right now I want to build a small website that would include pages for members and profiles, and a forum for discussion. I want users to be able to register ofc, and the subject for the forum/profiles would be for cars. I have a lot of friends in my neighborhood that have some really sweet rides and I want to build a local community site to show off these cars and allow the members to post comments and the owners to post pics and mods of their cars and basically create a profile not only for themselves but also for their cars. I know there are already tons of sites out there that do this, but as I said I want to create one as a learning project and for this target local community. I have idea for future sites that I would want to build for other subjects but I need to start somewhere.

 

Also, I was wondering if it was a good idea to use PHP to build a whole site? Or is it even possible/economical? Or I think I may have PHP totally misunderstood and do you build the site with HTML and use PHP to navigate things around? My understanding is that you can build a full site with just PHP and that PHP is an upgrade and alternate choice to using HTML. Please PLEASE correct me if I am wrong because that means I been going the wrong direction from the get.

 

What I am Hoping for

I am hoping to meet someone kind enough to kinda take me under their wing as maybe an apprentice so to speak and help guide me through the process and give helpful tips, advice, and direction. I would maintain communication with this person via email, MSN Messenger (Windows Live Messenger), Skype, Ventrilo, Yahoo Messenger, or even phone, whatever works well for you. Please.

 

and (or),

 

A program that I could use to import my Photoshop designs and build my page based on what I designed in Photoshop. Something easy.

 

Other Research I Have Done

I have read a few chapters of a few books but its really hard for me to follow along since I really don't know anything, and most of them talk as if they expected you to have previous knowledge so a lot of the lingo and acronyms is really all jibberish to me.

 

Last Words

I really just want to network with the right people that are noob friendly and have patience to work with a person of my calibur. I know you (the community) probably get morons like myself coming into these forums asking for noob help and I understand that. The difference between them and myself is that I am willing to put in the work given the right direction. I really want to learn this, but just don't have money to go to school for it, that and there is no way I could quit my job to go to school because I have to provide for myself and others. So any charity help would be most gracious. Thank you for listening to my story lol. 

[toivo]

Even though a website built with PHP can have hundreds of thousands of lines of code, websites do not rely on PHP alone.  PHP scripts generate HTML pages which often have also javascript embedded.  There are javascript libraries like Mootools, Scriptaculous and jQuery which simplify the creation and manipulation of HTML documents. 

 

You could first familiarise with the concept of MVC - Model, View and Controller, to see how websites can be structured.  From there it is an easy step to install a Content Management System (CMS) like Joomla and get a flying start in building sites.  Joomla has hundreds of extensions which are free.  You could run a site with a photo gallery, chat room and support forum in no time, using the application from the Open Source communities.  In due course, you can return the favor and publish something you have developed.

 

It is a huge area, and lots of fun.  Even with lots of experience in IT in general, I learn new things every day  :-)