Learning PHP, MySQL & JavaScript will teach you how to create responsive, data-driven websites with the three central technologies of PHP, MySQL and JavaScript - whether or not you know how to program. This simple, streamlined guide explains how the powerful combination of PHP and MySQL provides a painless way to build modern websites with dynamic data and user interaction. You'll also learn how to add JavaScript to create rich Internet websites and applications, and how to use Ajax to handle background communication with a web server.

CONTENTS

1. Introduction to Dynamic Web Content
2. Setting Up a Development Server
3. Introduction to PHP
4. Expressions and Control Flow in PHP
5. PHP Functions and Objects
6. PHP Arrays
7. Practical PHP
8. Introduction to MySQL
9. Mastering MySQL
10. Accessing MySQL Using PHP
11. Form Handling
12. Templating With Smarty
13. Cookies, Sessions and Authentication
14. Exploring JavaScript
15. Expressions and Control Flow in JavaScript
16. JavaScript Functions, Objects and Arrays
17. JavaScript and PHP Validation and Error Handling
18. Using AJAX
19. Using YUI for AJAX and More
20. Bringing it all Together

This book explains each technology separately, shows you how to combine them, and introduces valuable concepts in modern web programming, including objects, XHTML, cookies, regular expressions and session management. Learning PHP, MySQL, & JavaScript will help you:

• Understand the essentials of PHP and the basics of object-oriented programming
• Master MySQL, from database structure to complex queries
• Create interactive web pages with PHP and MySQL by integrating forms and other HTML features
• Get a thorough grounding in JavaScript, from functions and event handling to accessing the Document Object Model
• Use libraries and packages such as the Smarty web template system, The PEAR program repository and the Yahoo! User Interface Library (YUI)
• Learn how to make Ajax calls and turn your website into a highly dynamic environment
• Find out how to upload and manipulate files and images, validate user input and secure your applications against being hacked
• Develop best practices for error handling and user authentication

Programming tips and exercises in each chapter will help you practice what you've learned. If you have a graphics or web design background and know your way around HTML, this book will have you building interactive websites quickly.

Robin Nixon is a computer journalist who has also developed numerous websites using PHP, MySQL and JavaScript. He has written over 500 articles and authored several books on computing, including Plug-in PHP and Ubuntu: Up and Running.