Web Database Applications with PHP and MySQL

Amazon.com

PHP and MySQL go hand in hand; the former has been carefully adapted, through the efforts of the open-source community, to the latter. For situations that require dynamic content but don't merit the complexity and development time of Java or .NET enterprise applications, the PHP language and the MySQL database server fit the bill perfectly. That's the point Hugh Williams and David Lane make in Web Database Applications with PHP & MySQL, which combines language tutorials with application design advice to yield a comprehensive picture of its subjects at a reasonable price. Williams and Lane--both Australian academics who use an online wine store in many of their examples--deserve tremendous kudos for their way of presenting recommended coding strategies. Though the code listings themselves aren't remarkably well commented, the authors do a commendable job of explaining in prose what the code is up to.

Case in point: The ever-essential task of using PHP to open a connection to a MySQL database, submit a query to that database, receive a response, and format the returned rows, if any. The book addresses this problem with a straight code listing, followed by text that explains what's happening in five numbered steps. Similar care goes to the other popular applications of the PHP/MySQL duo: session management, shopping carts, and authentication of users. --David Wall

Topics covered: How to use the PHP server-side scripting language and the MySQL database engine to underlie dynamic Web sites (those that rely on database queries) and full-on Web applications, such as those that require session management and maintenance of user rosters. Tutorials in both subjects begin with the basics and proceed through moderately complicated stuff, though there's no absolutely comprehensive reference here./p>

Reviews From AMAZON.COM

Essential

Excellent book, O'Riley always publishes excellent books. Highly recommended if you want to build a sophisticated website from scratch using a linux based server and PHP. This book covers everything you need from start to finish including sessions.

Beats the rest

After reading dozens of PHP/MySQL books. The Web Database Applications with PHP & MySQL, 2nd Edition book has been a tremendous asset to my web design company. My web developers love it! Full of straight forward resources and practical applications for web design and database development. Kansas City businesses are now being equipped with solid database applications and web designs thanks to this book and our web designers.

Sean Morelli
RPG Designs, LLC
www.rpgdesigns.net