PHP is the world’s most popular server-side scripting language for websites. Instead of manually writing HTML files, many web developers program PHP to automatically generate them.
If you’ve been learning front-end development and want to take the next step, PHP is an ideal place to start. Although you have the choice of many other server-side technologies like Rails and Node, PHP is especially suited to a beginner. This is because it’s the easiest to get up and running and it plugs right into HTML.
Here are 6 of Code Conquest’s top PHP training recommendations. There’s something from every category – free and premium, online and offline, basic and extensive, hands-on and theoretical. Guaranteed, one is the perfect training for you.
Jump to recommendation:
- Treehouse – PHP Development
- Lynda.com – PHP with MySQL Essential Training
- Book – PHP and MySQL Web Development
- Book – PHP and MySQL for Dynamic Web Sites
- Book – Learning PHP, MySQL, JavaScript and CSS
- PHP Academy
Treehouse – PHP Development
PHP Development is a Track from Treehouse, which will help you to do exactly what the name suggests. Among the topics are:
- How to Make a Website
- Build and Enhance a Simple PHP Application
- Database Foundations
- Using PHP with MySQL
- JavaScript Foundations
- Console Foundations
This training recognizes that there’s actually much more to becoming a PHP developer than just learning PHP. It starts off by showing you how to make a simple website and write simple HTML, which are crucial skills for learning PHP.
The core of the training is a hands-on project that walks you through how to build a real-world PHP application, an online T-shirt store called Shirts 4 Mike. After this, there’s some supplementary training in CSS, JavaScript, jQuery and console skills.
Click here and try Treehouse for free...
Click here for our in-depth Treehouse review
Lynda.com – PHP with MySQL Essential Training
By Kevin Skoglund
Lynda.com has an extensive PHP training library that includes many intro and advanced subjects spanning all aspects of the language. PHP with MySQL Essential Training is a popular course in the lynda.com library. There are 19 chapters, covering various topics like building web pages, working with forms and cookies, and building a CMS.
The course was revised in 2013 and is a great general introduction. Once you finish it, you can move onto the more advanced PHP training in the lynda.com library.
Click here for our in-depth Lynda reviewBook – PHP and MySQL Web Development
By Luke Welling and Laura Thomson
This popular paperback book has long been recognized as one of the most comprehensive and practical guides to web development with PHP and MySQL.
The Fifth Edition of PHP and MySQL Web Development is updated to reflect PHP 5.4 and MySQL 5.5. It covers PHP and MySQL separately and together, a section on e-commerce, a real-world development guide and 10 start-to-finish case studies.
Over 1,000 pages long, this book is a mega-resource. It’s the perfect choice if you want to go all the way with PHP.
Click here to get it from Amazon.com...Book – PHP and MySQL for Dynamic Web Sites
By Larry Ullman
PHP and MySQL for Dynamic Websites aims to be a quick and easy guide to learning PHP and MySQL. It’s a bit less full-on and focuses on giving you the essential skills.
This book is for you if you’re familiar with creating static HTML and CSS sites and want to learn just enough PHP and MySQL to go dynamic. It’s available in paperback and Kindle editions.
Click here to get it from Amazon.com...Book – Learning PHP, MySQL, JavaScript and CSS
By Robin Nixon
Learning PHP, MySQL, Javascript and CSS, part of the O’Reilly series, is a full guide to constructing a web application based on PHP. It covers not only PHP but also the supporting ingredients of a web application – MySQL, JavaScript and CSS.
The book covers each of its four eponymous technologies separately, however the best thing about the book is the final chapter. Called Bringing It All Together, it pulls all four together to create a real, functioning social networking site.
If you want a detailed guide to producing a real product with PHP, this book is what you’re looking for. It’s available in paperback and Kindle editions.
Click here to get it from Amazon.com...PHP Academy
PHP Academy is a free and independent online training library that’s dedicated to teaching all things PHP. It includes video training on PHP fundamentals, as well as a wide range of projects including a blog, CMS and chat application.
PHP Academy is for you if you’re short on cash and you like learning from down-to-earth video tutorials.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.
