[IMKoRnNuts]

2 simple questions.

1) Where can I learn PHP?

2) How hard would it be to learn? How hard in comparison to HTML?

[mr_sonicblue]

Go here

http://www.php.net/manual/en/

And read chapters 2 and 3. Use remaining chapters as reference while programming.

------------------

[sadie]

1) http://www.php.net

2) Very easy. OK, so it's more complicated than HTML, but as programming languages go it's small, simple and elegant. I like it.

[parallax]

PHP is a programming language, much a mixture of C and Perl. It's actually a fine language to start learning programming from.
It's most certainly harder than HTML to learn (for a first-time programmer), but it shouldn't be too hard.

[ryochiji]

If you know HTML, have worked with CGIs, and know at least one other progrmming language, you should be able to start coding with PHP right away. Because PHP is most commonly used to create front ends to databases (like MySQL or Postgres), knowing SQL helps as well.

Of course, I agree with the above post in that it's a great entry-level programming language too.

[Angus_D]

PHP is a scripting language, not a programming language. It's interpreted, not compiled.

[parallax]

Doesn't mean that it's not a programming language, does it?

I'd call Perl a programming language over calling it a scripting language!

[mr_sonicblue]

I call it a scripting language. But it *can* be compiled with Zend Compiler (if it ever came out).

------------------

[SmileyDude]

Not to take anything away from PHP, which is a cool technology and all, but...

if you want to learn something that will give you an edge on programming, learn JSPs instead. Based on Java (wait, it is Java), you can use as much or as little Java code to build your page... just like PHP. Except with JSPs, you have access to Java classes almost transparently.

Like I said, PHP is really cool. I like it. I almost started using it, but I think JSPs are the way to go. After you master JSPs, Servlets are a small step, and then you can move into bigger and better things, using all of your gained Java knowledge.

Oh, and as far as speed is concerned, it's actually fairly good. The initial load of a JSP takes a bit because it has to compile the JSP into Java source code, and then compile that into bytecode. But, once compiled, and loaded, it is very fast. I don't have benchmarks comparing it with PHP, but I would imagine, on a server with good JSP support, that they would be very close. And the advantages of knowing Java give it the edge over PHP in my opinion.

Oh, and ASP is not even in the running... I would hand code all of my html pages with vi before using ASP...

------------------
dennis

[barracuda]

Try having a look at www.devshed.com
It has leasons and tutorials for both PHP and JSP programming. It's the first place I go when I need to know something about a web technologies and it's even written in PHP (the source is visible from a link in the top right hand corner).

The PHP manual is excellent but it's a bit dry to actually learn from.

B.

[sadie]

Originally posted by SmileyDude:
if you want to learn something that will give you an edge on programming, learn JSPs instead. Based on Java (wait, it is Java), you can use as much or as little Java code to build your page... just like PHP. Except with JSPs, you have access to Java classes almost transparently.

I don't agree. PHP is way easier to learn than real Java, and if JSP doesn't use real Java it's no use for teaching. Plus it doesn't have as wide support with servers as PHP.

Perhaps JSP afterwards, but not if he's never done programming before.

Oh, and ASP is not even in the running... I would hand code all of my html pages with vi before using ASP...

Agreed. I'd actually sit there on a telnet window typing the response to every HTTP request, rather than use ASP!

[DaGuy]

I am a big fan of PHP -love the stuff- but I must admit it is no match for
JSP/Servlets/EJBs and for that matter the whole slew of Java technologies out there i.e. PDAs, Encryption, XML etc. If you just need to run your own
server then PHP may be a wise choice; on the other hand, if you are thinking large scale, then you are much better off learning the Java technologies.

[sadie]

He/she/it's not planning on running his own servers or buying out Amazon any time soon. He/she/it wants to learn a (first?) programming language. And PHP is a great choice.

[SmileyDude]

JSP is real Java... it's just intermixed with HTML.

Like I said before, you can use as much or as little Java as you want/need. Your Java could be as simple as the following:

Code:
<%= new Date() %>

This will place a string with the current date and time. (Note, I'm typing this without the benefit of having a server to test this with... so it may be wrong... )

Anyway, they are both good... like I said in my first post, I don't want to start a holy war over which server side language to use... all I wanted to do is to mention an alternative that could also serve the same purpose.

Have fun!

------------------
dennis