Many websites just like this one, and sites like Wikipedia, utilize the power of PHP programming to create dynamic sites. Wow you think. How do I create a website like that for myself? I now want to learn about programming in PHP, but where do I start?
If you don’t know where to start, here are 6 great sites to learn PHP programming online for free.
PHP.net
The first place to look at is PHP.net. This is PHP’s official website. This site has everything you need to know about PHP. So when you definitely know that you want to create a website in PHP, start the tutorial and get busy.
Once you have learned the basic introductory concepts to creating a PHP based website, it is time to look at the user manual. Everything you need to know is there. Once you have finished reading, you should now be a PHP expert. If not, here are some other site links which provide you with the PHP scripting basics.
W3 Schools
w3 Schools offers tutorials for programming inPHP and other scripting languages, but we are going to focus on the PHP section.
At w3 Schools, you can learn the basics of PHP such as the syntax, variables, strings, arrays, selection and loop statements, how to use forms and much more. Once you have mastered the basics, you can then go onto the advance stuff such as includes, file uploads, cookies, sessions, and how to send secure emails.
Learn Programming in PHP Online
Although Learn PHP Online is not as detailed as W3 Schools or PHP.net, it does provide useful tutorial scripts on how to do basic things such as find odd or even numbers, learn the difference between echo and print, create email activation for registration forms and learn how to prevent SQL Injection attacks.
PHP Buddy
PHPBuddy contains articles and tutorials on how to do basic PHP tasks such as how to work with Sessions, and encrypting and protecting your PHP code, so it is worth chng out.
About.com PHP
About.com has a whole section on learning PHP and MySQL. You can learn about the PHP functions, loops, how to use PHP and HTML together, how to use time and calendars, create forms, use redirection, countdowns and simple math functions.
The MySQL section provides you with everything you need to know on using a database with PHP. Some advance skills include uploading files and using encryption. About.com also has free scripts and tutorials on how to send emails, creating a simple address book, calendars, login scripts and creating polls.
TiZag
Tizag contains everything you need to know about programming in PHP. It provides basic tutorials on how to print data to the screen using variables, how to use loops and if/else statements, how to use POST and GET commands, how to use strings, sessions and cookies. Although you may already know these from the other sites, it is still useful to check out.
So I hope these 6 websites help you to become a PHP master. When you do, please be sure to let us know in the comments. If you have used these sites before or other sites that we might have missed to learn PHP, tell us your thoughts and comments.