Learning PHP: where to learn (just enough to make living w/ PW easier)

[PhotoWebMax]

I am just getting my feet wet with PW.

I have built a decent number of MODx sites with both Evo and Revo. I know HTML, CSS, design, using jQuery scripts (adding them not authoring them), etc.

I am only familiar with PHP by copying and pasting and skimming through code to get to the idea of the functions. I did look at a few sites that taught PHP but never stuck with it.

So, any recommendations to learning a bit of PHP to make working with PW easier?

Thanks!

[cstevensjr]

http://www.lynda.com/

[Martijn Geerts]

I started with CMSses with MODX revolution and there you had that 'pesky' template language. Sometimes you have to do [[]], then you've to do [{}] and some need a * and others need the exclamation mark. Then on every found info page I had to think, is this for evolution or revolution, is this a snippet or a chunk. And if you want to have a simple if-statement you needed to start a snippet and a chunk as template or had to find plugins who install all kind of other snippets, plug-ins and other 'garbage' to do a simple comparison.

If you can handle all that noize while thinking on building a site, you already can code. ( Maybe you don't realize that now ).

There are less exceptions in PHP then there is in the MODX language. You can find documentation every where. You just have to start with the basic things. 

Actually, ProcessWire is the perfect environment to start learning PHP. 

(could be a little off with the MODX tpl language, I already forgot how to use it)

[Joss]

Yep. It is a very good environment for learning 

[Raymond Geerts]

php.net

All functions have example code and other code for different aproach for the functions.

http://nl1.php.net/manual/en/function.echo.php

[BUCKHORN]

You don't need to know much php to use ProcessWire. I recommend the ProcessWire documentation which covers all the php that you'll need to know (initially). The cheatsheet is helpful too.

This is about all the php you need to build a simple website in PW. For apps and complex websites you'll need to go further with PHP (specifically objects and methods). 

if

http://www.php.net/manual/en/control-structures.if.php

comparison operators 

http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.operators.comparison.php

logical operators

http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.operators.logical.php

foreach

http://www.php.net/manual/en/control-structures.foreach.php

array

http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.types.array.php

find answers to specific problems (a good place to look errors when you don't know what they mean)

http://stackoverflow.com/

[teppo]

Already a bunch of good resources, but here's a couple more:

• Especially if you're at "absolutely beginner" level, there's a ton of useful video tutorials floating around. This one titled "Learn PHP in 15 minutes", for an example, seems pretty good.
• For more background there are also more thorough videos, such as this Harvard extension school lecture.
• Once you get up to speed, you should most definitely take a look at PHP: The Right Way.
• If you're really into it, I'd strongly suggest Programming PHP from O'Reilly. It's available as an ebook too.
• Another book worth checking out is Essential PHP Security. Short but good -- if every PHP developer knew at least this much about security best practices, PHP world would be a lot safer place.

Just my two cents.

http://www.lynda.com/

Totally random fact: Designing Web Graphics by Lynda Weinman was one of the very first web design books I could get my hands on. That was some fifteen years ago, when quality learning material was still kind of scarce, at least around here. Should probably take another look at that book one of these days, could be sort of fun

[einsteinsboi]

What Martijn said!!   And sshaw has also given you some great advice, and a great list from teppo. As mentioned above, you will learn everything you need to know about Processwire from the API documentation, and from posting on the forums here.  We're a friendly bunch

That said, it never hurts to learn some PHP, and it will stand you in good stead in PW and beyond, when you want to extend and expand things.  Lots of good resources posted here, here's one more: http://devzone.zend.com/6/php-101-php-for-the-absolute-beginner/

[fmgujju]

I just found below website which has quite a bit of video tutorial for PHP web application development. I was searching "how to use paypal sandbox for testing" and I found this website from one of the stackoverflow answer.

http://www.developphp.com/

[pwired]

So, any recommendations to learning a bit of PHP to make working with PW easier?

http://www.onlinetechbooks.com/php-books/JohnWileySons-PHP5ForDummies.pdf

Learning from scripts directly

http://www.scripts.com/php-scripts/

Freeware editor, very good.

http://bluefish.openoffice.nl/features.html