Head First PHP and MySQL by Lynn Beighley Synopsis Read “Head First PHP & MySQL” and get lessons from a cool teacher: The learning is fun and suddenly you actually look forward to the next hour. In this visually appealing work, the author explains in practical terms how you set up a database-based website quickly with PHP and MySQL. Get your hands dirty and build real applications immediately as a high-score list for a computer game or an online dating site. If you have worked through this book, you are well prepared and know how to validate forms, session IDs, cookies and data queries, and perform file operations and more. The author assumes that our time is too precious to be fighting with dry concepts. Instead, we learn PHP and MySQL using the “head first” method. This means that the book adopts a visually varied and content varied format, an approach that was developed based on the latest research in the field of cognitive science and learning theory.

Review 1 This book was my first in the "Head First" series and I was very excited that it provided this new kind of presenting knowledge for me. Although I thought at first that this book, because of the layout, could offer no solid introduction to PHP and MySQL, I quickly realized that this was not the case. I liked the loose and funny way the issues were presented, and their presentation through the development of a project (the creation of a website for a customer). New topics are introduced, since not enough concepts have been learned to solve the problem. I like very much this "problem-oriented" communication of knowledge because I know now why I gained so much from it. I could apply the contents of the book very quickly. (Posted by Cupid's Arrow)

Review 2 Lynn Beighley is one of that rare breed of writer / academic who combines technical knowledge and expertise with skills in creative writing. The approach in this book (a sort of "need to know" step by step approach) works well, resulting in a work of practical help in real situations rather than a dry academic textbook. (Posted by Web Design Shrewsbury)

Review 3 I've already waited long for this book in the "Head First" series and I was not disappointed. The combination of PHP and MySQL is well explained; even the chapter on regular expressions is very understandable. It is also written very humorously, so that gets to teach the basics with a difference. The many tasks are particularly good for student achievement. A great book! (Posted by Schwartzkopf)