5 Best PHP Book, Recommended by Top Developers- 2024

Originally, PHP was an open-source project which was created as knowledge of its usefulness spread.

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PHP stands for “PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor”. This scripting language is embedded in HTML and is used to maintain dynamic content, databases, session tracking, and build e-commerce sites. It is integrated with several databases, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, Sybase, Informix, and Microsoft SQL Server.

Best PHP books

1. PHP-The complete reference

In this book, you will learn how to create dynamic Web applications, such as guest books, chat rooms, and shopping carts. You will learn about everything you need to know about dealing with and implementing databases, AJAX, XML, security, and more.

About the author

Steve Holzner is an award-winning author who teaches XML and XSLT. He has written more than 67 books, all on programming topics, selling more than a million copies. He wrote Inside XML for New Riders. Around the world, his books are translated into sixteen languages. His credentials include a PhD from Cornell, graduation from MIT, and contributions to the PC Magazine.


 2. The Joy of PHP: A Beginner’s Guide to Programming Interactive Web Applications with PHP and MySQL

The book starts with basic HTML; newcomers can get started right away. Step by step, the book explains how PHP works. PHP freshers become professional dynamic website developers after taking this course.

Beginners start with simple tasks, such as how to create PHP scripts, before moving on to modifying web pages. A fun series of exercises puts the reader’s learning to the test.

About the author

Best-selling author Alan Forbes has written The Joy of PHP, The Joy of jQuery, as well as The Joy of Bootstrap. Born into a family of teachers, he earned his undergraduate degree at Bryant University and his MBA at Babson College, where he won the Douglass Prize in Entrepreneurship.


3. Head First PHP & MySQL

Head First PHP & MySQL describes the creation of MySQL database tables, converting HTML pages into dynamic websites, generating images on the fly, and using cookies to get visitor information and use the same to personalize the website for users.
Not only the book covers the fundamental concepts of PHP and MySQL, but it also carries a deep dive into advanced topics.

About the author

Despite her passion for fiction, Lynn Beighley has a technical book writing body. She has written books and training courses for Yahoo! for many years. Later, she decided to pursue her creative writing interest in New York and earned an MFA in Creative Writing there.

Michael Wayne Morrison is an American author, software developer, and toy inventor who has written books on a variety of topics, including mobile device usage, game programming, Internet design and development, and Internet design and development.


4. PHP- A beginner’s guide

This book describes how to write basic PHP programs and then improve them with advanced features. In addition to enabling novices to get started with PHP development, it also develops intermediate-level proficiency.

There is also information on software installation, data structures, syntax, inbuilt functions, flow control routines, etc.

About the author

Vikram Vaswani founded Melonfire, a consultancy firm in Mumbai. Providing specialized content strategy with software consulting services to support customers in launching, managing, and marketing Web products efficiently is a key service that Melonfire offers.


5. PHP & MySQL: The Missing Manual

The 546-page book aims to help developers improve their approach to creating dynamic websites with PHP and MySQL.
This book explains how to use PHP and MySQL to manage content, build databases, and interact with users. The book is considered one of the best books on web development.

About the author

Brett McLaughlin is known to be a bestselling and award-winning non-fiction author. He has written books on computer programming, analysis, and design, which have sold in excess of more than 100,000 copies. He has been writing, editing, and producing technical books for almost a decade

That was all about the 5 best PHP books for every web developer. Hope you found it helpful.

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