How did you learn PHP?
 

A book? If so, which one?

Otherwise, how did you all learn so much PHP! I find it hard, I can just about understand the code when I see it, writing it myself is next to impossible!

I want to learn PHP, but I don't know where to start, the PHP manual just scares me, so I stayed away from it ;)

Please share your ideas and please help me :( :)

well i learnded it through vb.

just turned around some functions and looked what would be the effect ^^

ok, i have to say i've learned programming itself long time ago, but with the same method.
just changein things and look what happens.

i think that's the fastes way.
I just need books for a fast lookup of syntax

I looked at coding, and just fooled around with it just as Xenon said, but I am yet more to learn :)

-Arunan

But how? I've had a vB since February, and I only know a small amount of PHP, and they're just things like bbuserinfo[usergroupid]==5 etc...and that's not really PHP, it's not a function in itself, so it isn't the most useful thing out there ;)

Is there a good book I could learn from?

Set up a test vB and have a play, think of small changes you would like and then see if you can make them. I know more about PHP through playing with vB than I do about any other language.

Try getting a book like Teach Yourself PHP in 24hrs or somthing to help you get started ;)

I learnt what I know from installing hacks on my friends board...

At first I just found and did what it said, but a little while later, I just played with code, read alot of hacks, and tried to analyse how they worked...

If you notice, I also ask alot of questions, as I am always striving for more knowledge...

I then learnt a bit of MySQL, and can now perform more difficult vB related stuff...

Its all a matter of time, patience, and the eagerness to not just "be scared away" by the PHP manual...

At first, I looked at it, and had no clue whatsoever...

Now I can look at it, and I have made more progress in the last 2 months by looking at it than i ever did in all the time before combined...

Satan

I learned PHP mostly from vBulletin, and the same goes with MySQL. I still need to sharpen my skills with PHP/MySQL queries, as well learning the more useful functions of PHP, or creating my own.

I wouldn't have learned PHP so quickly though if it wasn't for my AP Computer Science class, which I learned C++ through. C++ has so many common similarities to PHP, that when I got into PHP it flowed very nicely as the syntax was almost identical. I enjoy PHP way more than C++ though, as the need for compilers bores me. I am still interested in learning more from that language though. The main thing I dislike of C++ was instantiating variables, where you have to define them as int, char, bool, and to follow those properties through coding. While in PHP you just slap on a "$" to make it a variable, and it isn't specific to characters or numbers, etc. And overall PHP is just more hands on, as it's on the web.

I can do if functions, commenting out and some very basic queries... thats about it :(

- miSt

N9ne, I can relate about PHP manual.. it throw me off, I have bit hard time to understand it until I bought four books and my skills rocket every day..

Try these books

Beginning PHP4 by Wrox
Professional PHP4 by Wrox
PHP and MySQL Web Development (Sams)
Even better, Build your own Database Driven Website using PHP & MySQL by great Kevin Yank at Sitepoint.com..

If you want to know more about PHP and how to learn etc.. go to Useful resources and books for anyone who wants to learn PHP and mySQL It is best of the bestest information on PHP for books, resources, and tutorials etc.. Go there or die =D

I was introduced to PHP in December 2001 by a classmate. At that time I had about 18 months of C programming experience. I had trouble with basics, like database connectivity and data types. Then I bought "PHP fast&easy web development" which helped me with basic stuff, but that's about it. After that I went with the manual at php.net and a few tutorials here and there.

I learned from installing hacks. I'd take a hack, try to see what this and that does, and after 1,000,000 parse errors, I learned some PHP! :)

Everyday I spend hacking, I feel I'm getting to know vB a bit better but it comes the stage where you want to do the improvement! Thanks everyone for giving me tips, I'm going to get a few books...:D, how much do they cost? It would be better if I bought them off the net wouldn't it? If so, where from? Where is it cheapest?

Self-taught, already knew Java, C++, Visual Basic and some other languages and at that point any language gets to be easy to pick up.

MySQL took a bit longer but since I was used to seeing vB queries it eventually came to me.

Self-taught too in PHP. I started programming when I wrote my first game in DOS BASIC over in 1985 (or thereabouts) for my sister. Learnt PHP off hacking vB and from a few sites I find when I'm trying to debug some code.

@N9ne - PHP Books can cost anywhere from ?20 - ?40 for a decent one...

I bought a PHP book that cost me ?17.99 in a sale, but normally costs ?21.99...

You wont find one cheap that is useful;)

Satan

Im still learning php but most of what i learn was thru hacking vBulletin. I still have problems with SQL querys but im getting better everyday. Whats really helped me was knowing perl, i learned it much the same way from hacking ubb for over 2 years.

Core PHP by Leon Atkison

I learnt it because i used vBulletin and wanted a better understanding of it and to write various modfiications. I knew perl before hand when i used UBB though.

Yeah, I had previous knowledge with programming languages like C++, Java, VB, Perl, ASP and others.... Then, when I bought vB and started to hack it, I found that it was really "easy" to learn.... I'm still learning it with the help of the PHP manual (for syntax reference).

Is that why vB has 120x times the amount of hacks UBB has? :D

I myself used wrox books through most of my learning. www.wrox.com they dont good examples as erwin has showed us.

I aint surprise =D Wrox books are very very good, in fact it s best books ever. There is one store in my location that which have literally everything on computer, programming languages, 3D and many more. I dont have to order thur net to get these books anyway I read thur many PHP books and most of them are sux and Wrox books have almost everything on PHP. Its highly recommend

Kick ass :D

I have 3 books on PHP by wrox.

Beginning PHP 4
Professional PHP Programming
Professional PHP 4 XML

I want to get the other books but I am pushed for money at the moment... the others are I believe.

Professional PHP 4
Professional PHP 4 Multimedia Programming
Professional PHP4 Web Development Solutions
Professional PHP Web Services <- this book isnt even done yet
Beginning PHP 4 Databases <- I am really excited for this one. They are going to have PHP 5 information. "Further, this book is kind of a 'getting-the reader-ready' for PHP 5 which will have strong OO and PEAR DB focus"

I m really exciting about Professional PHP 4 Multimedia Programming book, I m planning to buy that book anytime. But for other books, I dont know about that. I ll buy all Wrox books =D. I dont plan to buy Professional PHP programming cuz of bit outdated (I guess) Since Professional PHP4 cover these in that book right?

Do you think having a basic knowledge of another programming language helps you learn PHP?

Regards

- miSt

Mist, yeah it does. I have previous experience with javascript and C language (soon will jump to C++) it does help much. But if you learn PHP first and you will do better with C/C++

I agree. I learned BASIC first and then started on PHP. It become really easy.

I read a littl through the Professional PHP 4 Multimedia Programming book and it had everything you need. Such as Ming and SVG.

I know about SVG but what is Ming and what will it do?

I'd go with learning C first and if you do you'll find every other language easy as PHP / Perl are written in C and you'll find it lots easier

I learnt PHP first and i found it difficult to start learning C, especially declaring variables first.

When I started C I was able to get the drift of it since even before I started PHP I was getting in Java.

Ok sorry to laugh here, but those of you in England will probably laugh too...well If you're my age anyway....there's something to do with programming called Ming?! LMAO!

Ahem...anyway...

So a the beginners PHP 4 book from wrox would be the best option?

Oh yes;) I would love to study ming:D
Get sams teach yourself books - they rock:)

Well one day when I was a weee little boy, I had a uBB, then I wanted to learn perl, I failed miserably, and was very saddend, then one day I got hosted for free, then my host restricted ubb, so then I purchased a leased liscense, then i ran a boad, then I found vbulletin.org, then I went off to learn php

Got the PHP Essentials book by Julie C Meloni

Was so good at it after that and some practice that I built my own bb from scratch... :D

- G :)

Ming SWF output library: the funk in your trunk

for making flash files :)

Yes go for a book i seen a php 4.1 programming book which is the latest not seen any for 4.2 yet

Sams isnt that great. They dont give a good grasp or good examples.

:( about Ming.. guess I m stupid by then :P

About Beginning PHP4, you definitely must buy that book. Neo know what I m talking about. Wrox books.. very unique.

What is PHP?

LOL just kidding