Learn PHP, the programming language used to build sites like Facebook, Wikipedia and WordPress, then discover how these sites store information in a database (MySQL) and use the database to create the web pages. This full-color book is packed with inspiring code examples, infographics and photography that not only teach you the PHP language and how to work with databases, but also show you how to build new applications from scratch. It demonstrates practical techniques that you will recognize from popular sites where visitors can: * Register as a member and log in * Create articles, posts and profiles that are saved in a database * Upload their own images and files * Automatically receive email notifications * Like and comment on posts. To show you how to apply the skills you learn, you will build a complete content management system, enhanced with features that are commonly seen on social networks. Written by best-selling HTML & CSS and JavaScript & jQuery author Jon Duckett, this book uses a unique visual approach, with step-by-step instructions, practical code examples and pro tips that will teach you how to build modern database-driven websites using PHP.

Jon Duckett is the world-wide best-selling author of HTML & CSS: Design and Build Websites and JavaScript & JQuery: Interactive Front-End Web Development. His books have sold more than 400,000 copies in English and been translated into 10 languages. His "nicer way to learn" features a high-visual breakdown of code and concepts. LifeHacker called JavaScript & jQuery "the most elegant, visually engaging book you can learn JavaScript from." When he's not writing best-selling books, Jon has spent the last 15 years designing and building websites for companies ranging from small startups to globally recognized brands.

Introduction 1 Section A Basic Programming Instructions 17 Chapter 1 Variables, Expressions & Operators 29 Chapter 2 Control Structures 67 Chapter 3 Functions 103 Chapter 4 Objects & Classes 143 Section B Dynamic Web Pages 177 Chapter 5 Built-In Functions 201 Chapter 6 Getting Data From Browsers 231 Chapter 7 Images & Files 285 Chapter 8 Dates & Times 309 Chapter 9 Cookies & Sessions 329 Chapter 10 Error Handling 349 Section C Database Driven Websites 381 Chapter 11 Structured Query Language 397 Chapter 12 Get & Show Data From a Database 433 Chapter 13 Updating Data in a Database 483 Section D Extending the Sample Application 521 Chapter 14 Refactoring & Dependency Injection 533 Chapter 15 Namespaces & Libraries 557 Chapter 16 Membership 603 Chapter 17 Adding Functionality 633 Index 662