Foreword
It’s hard to believe that nearly 20 years ago I picked up my first PHP book. I had an interest in programming, extending beyond Netscape Composer and static HTML. I knew PHP would enable me to create dynamic, smarter websites—and to store and fetch data to create interactive web applications.
What I didn’t know was the journey that unlocking these new capabilities with PHP would take me on, or how PHP would evolve 20 years later to become the programming language powering roughly 80% of the web, and backed by one of the nicest, friendliest, and most engaging communities.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. By selecting Programming PHP by Peter MacIntyre and Kevin Tatroe, you have taken that first step not only into PHP and its basics, but also into the future of website and web application development. With the available tools and a firm understanding of the PHP programming language, the only limitation will be your imagination and your willingness to continue to grow and immerse yourself in the community. The journey is yours, the possibilities endless, and the future for you to define.
As you get ready to begin this journey, I would like to share a couple tidbits of advice. First, take each chapter and put it into practice, try different things, and don’t be afraid of breaking something or failing. While Programming PHP will establish a strong foundation, it’s up to you to explore the language and find new and creative ways to pull together all of these components.
My second piece of advice: be an active part of the PHP community. Take advantage of online communities, user groups, and PHP conferences as you are able. As you try new things, share them with the community for their feedback and advice.
Not only are you sure to find a community of support—a group of some of the nicest people, who want you to succeed and are more than happy to take their time to help you through your journey—but you’ll also establish a baseline of continuous learning, helping you grasp the core skills of PHP more quickly and keeping you up to date on new programming theories, technologies, tools, and changes. Not to mention, you’ll encounter an onslaught of terrible puns (including from yours truly).
With that, I would like to be among the first to welcome you and to wish you the very best on your journey—a journey that couldn’t start off better than with this book!