Synopsis
"This book, written by my colleague, Andi Gutmans, and two very prominent PHP developers, Stig Bakken and Derick Rethans, holds the key to unlocking the riches of PHP 5. It thoroughly covers all of the features of this new version, and is a must have for all PHP developers interested in exploring PHP 5 s advanced features" --Zeev Suraski, Co-Designer of PHP 5 and Co-Creator of the Zend Engine Expert PHP 5 programming techniques, direct from PHP 5 co-creator and key developers Definitive coverage of the PHP object model, design patterns, XML/SOAP integration, and more Solid introduction and expert insights into performance tuning, PEAR, extensions, and database access The definitive introduction to PHP 5 s advanced features! The definitive introduction for today s most powerful PHP 5 techniquesIn this book, PHP 5 s co-creator and two leading PHP developers show you how to make the most of PHP 5 s industrial-strength enhancements in any project--no matter how large or complex.

Web Database Applications shows Web developers how to build rich Web database applications using two leading open-source technologies, PHP and MySQL. The authors also assume use of the Apache Web server, which is by far the most common PHP scenario. Both PHP and MySQL are introduced from scratch, although this is a fast-paced book best suited to at least intermediate developers.

After a brief discussion of Web database applications, the authors offer a rapid tour of PHP essentials, including loops, expressions, functions and common mistakes. Next comes a quick-start guide to MySQL, focusing mainly on the SQL language itself. The following chapters tackle connecting to MySQL and other databases, implementing user-driven queries and enabling writing as well as reading data. There is a useful chapter on data validation, both on the client and the server and excellent coverage of another crucial subject: security and authentication. This looks at the fundamentals of HTTP authentication and examines security features in both Apache and PHP, identifying weaknesses and explaining pros and cons. The closing chapters form a detailed case study, an online wine store, with complete code available for download. It embraces user management, a shopping cart, searching, ordering and delivery, covering many key topics in the process. At the back of the book are appendices on a range of issues, including installation, Web protocols, database modelling and session management.