8 Best-Selling PHP Books Millions Love

When Chris Shiflett first realized how vulnerable PHP applications were to common web attacks, he set out to provide developers with a focused guide to security challenges specific to PHP. In this book, you’ll learn not just the theory but the exact coding techniques needed to defend against threats like SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and session hijacking. For example, the chapters break down typical attack vectors and then show how to fortify form processing and database interactions against them. If you build or maintain PHP web apps, this book offers practical insights that will sharpen your security awareness and help you write safer code.

What started as a need for a dense, no-fluff PHP reference became Paul Hudson's "PHP in a Nutshell," a book designed to cut through the noise for developers. You gain quick access to core PHP functions, popular extensions, and practical examples covering object-oriented programming, database interaction, and string manipulation. The book’s structure makes it easy to find critical information rapidly, whether you’re troubleshooting networking code or handling XML. If you’re a developer wanting a lean but deep desk reference that complements online documentation without overwhelming you, this book fits the bill perfectly.

This tailored book explores the essential concepts and techniques necessary to protect PHP web applications from common and evolving security threats. It examines vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and session hijacking, while offering guidance that aligns with your background and specific interests. By focusing on your individual goals, the book reveals best practices for secure coding, user authentication, and data protection in PHP environments. The personalized approach ensures you learn exactly what matters most to your projects, blending widely validated knowledge with your unique context to strengthen your security skill set and confidence in defending your applications.

After diving into decades of code generation, Jack Herrington crafted this guide to push PHP beyond its usual web scripting boundaries. You’ll explore practical techniques for database optimization, automated testing, and applying design patterns to your PHP classes. The book also ventures into creative territory, showing you how to enhance interfaces with tabs, popups, and calendars, and even integrate multimedia elements like maps, graphics, and instant messaging. Whether you’re starting out or refining advanced skills, this book provides a mix of technical depth and innovative hacks that can elevate your PHP projects.

Larry Ullman leverages his extensive experience as a web developer and educator to demystify the integration of PHP with MySQL databases. This book walks you through practical techniques for accessing and managing MySQL databases via PHP scripting, covering critical areas such as authentication processes, maintaining network connectivity, session handling, and dynamic content management. The inclusion of detailed chapters on session control and security considerations equips you with the skills to build robust, interactive web applications. If you're aiming to strengthen your backend development capabilities and want a methodical guide to PHP-driven database interaction, this book offers a clear, hands-on approach without unnecessary jargon.

When David Powers noticed a gap in PHP learning materials that were either too theoretical or overly complex, he crafted this book to ease developers into object-oriented programming with PHP 5. You’ll find practical explanations paired with simple projects—like building a user input validator or a Date class—that demonstrate how to write reusable, portable code without feeling overwhelmed. The book walks you through essential OOP concepts in a straightforward way, making it especially helpful if you want to upgrade your PHP skills without diving into heavy jargon. If you’re comfortable with basic PHP but new to OOP, this book offers a clear path forward; however, seasoned OOP developers might find it too introductory.

This tailored PHP development book explores step-by-step techniques designed for accelerated learning, focusing on your individual background and goals. It covers essential PHP concepts alongside hands-on coding practices, ensuring you gain both foundational knowledge and practical skills efficiently. By integrating reader-validated knowledge with your specific interests, the book reveals how to build dynamic applications, debug effectively, and enhance your coding style in a way that aligns with your pace and objectives. This personalized approach makes mastering PHP accessible and engaging, turning complex development tasks into manageable daily steps. Dive into a tailored learning experience that matches your needs and fuels your programming confidence.

Jeff Olen and Kevin Schroeder tackle a challenge faced by many IBM i developers: shifting from traditional green screen interfaces to modern Web applications using PHP. Their book guides you through adapting your existing skills to build interactive, Web-based PHP programs tailored for the IBM i environment. You'll get hands-on insights into structuring PHP applications, managing session persistence, and integrating with IBM i DB2 and MySQL databases. This book serves programmers working with IBM midrange systems who want to modernize their toolkit and remain relevant in a web-centric landscape.

Rasmus Lerdorf, the creator of PHP, offers a compact guide that flips traditional programming references on their head by blending tutorial clarity with quick-reference convenience. This book zeroes in on PHP syntax and the extensive built-in functions vital for web development, making it a practical tool for mastering form processing and database interactions embedded directly into HTML. You’ll find concise explanations that let you quickly grasp how PHP operates under the hood, especially useful for developers transitioning from CGI-based methods. If you want a no-frills, tightly focused manual to jumpstart or refresh your PHP skills, this book delivers precisely that without the fluff.

Janet Valade's extensive experience as a technical writer, web designer, and systems analyst shines through in this edition, which demystifies PHP and MySQL for those eager to build dynamic, database-driven websites. You learn concrete skills like setting up PHP and MySQL environments uniformly across Linux, Mac, and Windows using XAMPP, securing your files and code against vulnerabilities, and writing compliant PHP 5.3 and MySQL 5.1.31 code. The book balances technical depth with accessibility, offering clear examples that help you grasp real programming concepts rather than just syntax. It's especially useful if you're a web designer or developer looking to integrate backend databases into your projects without getting overwhelmed by complex programming jargon.