Advice On PHP Coding

[newbiecoder]

Hey guys I decided I wanted to learn PHP and MYSQL so I joined lynda.com and watched a tutorial on php & mysql and got pretty bored of it after a couple of videos. Not judging the person teaching it either but it still seems really confusing to me even though I would love to be able to create content managment systems and code my own websites in php. Whilst practicing some of the exercises I taught to myself, "wow there is really so much to remember about different variables,stings and functions"...All those pieces of code would be hard to remember. All seemed a little overwhelming. 

 

I would also love to learn how to create my own wordpress blogs from scatch. But correct me if i'm wrong, is it really a long process to learning php. I'm thinking of paying somebody to teach me 1-on-1, afterall it might be the fastest way to learn. I already know html & CSS so wanna take it it to the next level now. Would love to hear how some of you learnt php/mysql and whether or not you took or courses or studied it at college/university. It's all new to me guys but i'm sure once I get the hang of it and practice it everyday I'll learn most of the basics. Do you think W3Schools would be a great place to start?

 

Thanks Guys

Edited November 19, 2013 by newbiecoder

[cyberRobot]

How did you learn HTML and CSS? If you found the learning experience effective, perhaps there are similar opportunities available with PHP.

 

For me, I learn best by tearing existing things (that work) apart. I learned PHP by taking on a full-time job which involves developing a website that was created with PHP. Of course, I should mentioned that it was easier to pick up PHP since my previous job involved maintaining a website built with Perl. It also helps that I've taken several programming-related classes like C++.

 

If you learn well from books, you should look through the suggestions posted here:

http://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/2307-good-programming-and-web-design-books/

[newbiecoder]

Hi CyberRobo, I hired a guy to teach me html/css for a couple of weeks. I am thinking of doing the same to get someone to teach me php/mysql. I find it easier to learn if somebody is right next to you showing you how to code properly. If there is anybody here who offers training via skype let me know.  At the moment I am learning the basics of php and mysql at W3Schools. I have have a basic understanding of variables,echos,print statements,string functions and constants. Starting to make sense to me but the hard part is having to remember each piece of code. Anyway thanks for the advice mate, i'll do some more reading and practice a little bit each day, and hope i'll be a pro in years to come

[QuickOldCar]

I self taught myself php. Tried it when first came out, was very little documentation or any sort of help forums. I just got familiar at php.net and started to make my own functions and small scripts. When I needed to do something special, I would see if anything can do the job at php.net with default functions, or if not make my own.

 

Once you do this a little and actually write code it gets easier, following other peoples code is usually a lot harder to do.

 

Comment a lot, use variable and function names that are meaningful to you, will be easier down the road.

 

I'd like to point out that there is a ton of old crusty outdated code on the net, a lot are deprecated or simply just bad practice.

 

Merely reading through others problems and solutions here can help you on the right track.

[denno020]

I learnt PHP using YouTube. Specifically, from Adam Khoury (aka Flashbuilding).

 

I strongly suggest you check out his videos at http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpzRDg0orQBZFBPzeXm1yNg. I'm sure there would be links to his website on his YouTube channel.

 

Better than a uni course (I have completed uni so I can compare), and it was free!

 

Denno

[martov]

1. Learn what can be achieved with php

2. Get some materials about the language books, sites whatever you can find

3. Pick a big task you want to complete(don't worry that you don't know how you will complete it )

4. Split 3 on small tasks while reading the materials.

 

If you don't want to go for a sience degree and be self-educated probably this is the way Good Luck

[KevinM1]

W3Schools.

 

Don't use W3Schools.  Read this for why: http://www.w3fools.com

 

The online PHP manual is a decent place to start.  And if you find any other resources that use the word 'global' in their examples, run far far away from them.

[brandon66]

If you like to read this is a great book to begin with (PHP & MySQL: Novice to Ninja) by sitepoint.

[QuickOldCar]

If you like to read this is a great book to begin with (PHP & MySQL: Novice to Ninja) by sitepoint.

Most of that book is how to install things like mysql,apache,php. Using local packages like wamp,mamp,xampp or doing manually. then all about phpmyadmin and how to use it.

 

To be honest is very little of useful php information there, besides all the important php stuff you can find at http://php.net