Amazon.com (ISBN 076454716X, Paperback)

One issue that dampens enthusiasm for open-source products is a lack of mainstream documentation and tutorials that are written by professionals. PHP 4 Bible takes care of that little detail for PHP, the cross-platform (and free) server-side scripting language for the Web.

PHP 4 Bible is as comprehensive a discussion as you will find about this fascinating language, which can hold its own against commercial competitors like Microsoft Active Server Pages and Allaire ColdFusion. It covers the core elements of the language and its syntax with critical applications of PHP, such as database access and XML integration. The chapters follow a traditional tutorial style, which is helpful to those who are new to PHP.

An introduction to the basic language constructs, control structures, and functions leads off this book in a comfortable way for readers who are versed in other languages, such as Visual Basic. Very practical chapters, such as "Basic PHP Gotchas," help keep students out of trouble as they get their feet wet in PHP. For database access--a critical application of PHP in the real world--the focus is appropriately on MySQL, a simple, cross-platform SQL database.

Plenty of code examples and a companion Web site with downloadable code fill out this tutorial nicely. It is a one-stop way to learn PHP inside and out. --Stephen W. Plain

Topics covered: PHP syntax Variables Data types Control structures Custom functions Specialized functions File-system functions Style tips PHP "gotchas" SQL introduction Database access Sessions Cookies JavaScript integration E-mail access XML integration Object-oriented programming by using PHP