MySQL in a Nutshell (Nutshell Handbooks)

PHP Hacks : Tips & Tools for Creating Dynamic Web Sites (Hacks)

Essential PHP Security

PHP Cookbook

Web Database Applications with PHP & MySQL, 2nd Edition

Mysql And Msql

PHP in a Nutshell (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly))

Format: Paperback
Author: Paul Hudson
ReleaseDate: 01 October, 2005
Publisher: O'Reilly Media
Rating:

Fix the *!$@$!* Index!
It was just what I needed, except for one problem: the index. I bought this book to lead me into my first foray into PHP. Basic PHP functions such as "print" and "echo" are covered in the text, but you won't find them in the index. The data type "mixed" is used in the code examples, but isn't explained anywhere that I could find, and also lacks an index entry. As others have remarked, there are a few errors in the text, but they're pretty obvious and didn't get in the way of writing workable scripts. An excellent introduction to PHP, but a number of needless annoyances.

Not Up to Snuff
PHP in a Nutshell is very lax with informal explainations and coverage. When I purchase a Nutshell book from O'reilly, I anticipate a very formal, detailed overview of a language and an in-depth coverage of that language's standardized libraries and features. I am not saying that the book lacks information; it just lacks the typical detail of a usual Nutshell book. This book also has simple errors that should have been caught if the author had reviewed his own work; this is simply unexceptable. I, today, counted over 4 simple mistakes on the chapter about operators. This is something unheard of from O'reilly. I have been programming with PHP for a while now and was hoping to find a definitive reference . . . well, this isn't it!.

A Great PHP Reference
Densely packed into 350 pages, all the yummy stuff is covered here:

object oriented programming
databases
file i/o
XML
regular expressions

plus all the standard jargon for learning a new programming language: variable declaration, control structures, etc etc etc

If you are going to be programming in PHP (and why wouldn't you, being open source and sooo easy to use) and you want to get a headstart on how to begin doing just that, you owe it to yourself to read this wonderful guide. 'PHP in a Nutshell' is a fantastic book for learning the ins and outs of PHP so you will be able to start programming quicker, smarter, and better than ever!

Some of the 'Nutshell' books are simply too short to do proper justice for many topics, but that is not the case here. Well written, and a nice size that is easy to digest, I found this book to be a pleasure throughout.

Buyer beware only that this is not for the savviest of PHP programmers, but the majority will find it well worth the time and money.

***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.