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PHP for the Word Wide Web is a well-presented introduction to this popular server-side scripting language. Aimed at beginners, the 14 chapters cover programming basics such as using variables, performing numeric calculations, creating user-defined functions and reading or writing to files. There are also chapters on HTML forms, databases, cookies and use of regular expressions.

Like other books in the Visual Quickstart series, it uses wide margins and plentiful illustrations, although it has to be said that simple browser screens and code examples do not score highly on visual appeal. Even so, the combination of short, carefully explained topics, numbered steps and illustrations of the output makes for a clear, easy to follow tutorial. An appendix covers installation on both Linux and Windows.

This is a slim title, and does not pretend to cover advanced use of PHP. The database coverage, in just one short chapter, is particularly thin. If you already have a little programming knowledge, you might prefer one of the more detailed PHP books, such as Beginning PHP 4 Programming, from Wrox, or Leon Atkinson's Core PHP Programming. On the other hand, those looking for a keenly priced guide to PHP fundamentals will find PHP for the World Wide Web an ideal starting point. --Tim Anderson [via]