Introduction to PHP and MySQL

Want to learn PHP but don't know where to begin? This lesson breaks down the basics from answering "What is PHP?" to covering the best PHP software to use.

Want to preview PHP code in a browser? Curious about localhost? In just five minutes, learn how use this tool and how to avoid a common mistake!

Start embedding PHP in HTML! This lesson from Learn to Program demonstrates how PHP script works, how to write PHP codes, and two different PHP coding methods.

Ever wonder how to use PHP commands like echo, print, and printf? Curious about differences between PHP print and PHP printf? Find out in this lesson!

Learn how to declare variables in PHP and let this loosely-typed language do half the work for you! Here’s the info that will get you started.

Learn how to do simple math in PHP! This lesson will discuss basic equations, modulus, increment and decrement operators, and combined assignment.

Want to start working with lists in PHP? Then it’s time to learn about arrays! This type of PHP variable allows programmers to select and display list items.

This vital lesson clearly explains the associative array—a cornerstone of PHP. As the basis of matching key values, this concept should not be overlooked!

Learn how to code complex lists with ordered subsections! In this lesson, follow along as Mark presents the basics of PHP multidimensional arrays!

Even the teacher agrees that this lesson is one of the most exciting of the course! Learn to work with user input, manipulate data, and watch PHP in action.

Being able to evaluate statements as true or false is crucial in the PHP scripting language. In this lesson, learn to use PHP conditionals to run code!

Learn to use PHP to evaluate complex conditional statements. Mark Lassoff shows how to use if, else, and elseif statements to control a PHP script.

If you have a lot of outcomes in a conditional statement, a switch statement may be easier to use than an “if” conditional. Learn to use "switch, case, break."

There are many ways to write conditional statements in PHP. Now that you’ve learned the if statement and switch statement, learn how to use a ternary operator.

PHP loops allow a computer programmer to repeat an operation many times in a row. Learn to code while loops and do while loops in the programming language.

How do you make a PHP script run a process many times? Write a for loop! Learn how for loops work, and how to use them to repeat commands in PHP scripts.

Take programming conditional statements to the next level with “foreach” loops! Learn to use a PHP loop to store and print values in a multidimensional array!

Before you can use a PHP function, you need to include the needed files. Learn to use the include and require commands to make other files part of PHP scripts.

PHP functions can do a lot, but before you can do fancy coding, you’ve got to learn the basics. Learn to write functions, and call them with PHP scripts.

PHP functions let you repeat a process multiple times within the same program. Learn how to build, include, and call a PHP function with arguments.

Learn how to use the PHP return statement to return a value within a function. Then, explore function arguments in addition to built-in PHP functions.

Although with PHP file I/O you can’t write to a user’s hard drive, the programming language does allow users to write to a web server. Find out how it’s done!

Find out how to read files and display them using PHP script. Learn to Program shows how to use PHP pointers and functions to access text files.

Learn how to edit files with the PHP programming language! Learn to Program shows how to write PHP scripts to add to files, and to delete them.

CSV files are often used to store inventory information or other data table values. Learn how to read CSV files in PHP and display them in a browser.

If you’re building a website, it’s important to give users a way to reach you by email. Learn to use PHP scripts to route feedback to an SMTP server.

PHP lets web developers send HTML emails to build websites that send HTML emails. Learn how to write a PHP script to send email with HTML embedded.

What’s a perfect match for PHP code? A MySQL database, of course! Learn to set up a basic MySQL database to keep track of employee information.

Now that you’ve created a MySQL database, learn how to query it with PHP scripts and SQL commands, and create a data table from the database query!

The database administrator isn’t the only person who has to access a MySQL database. Learn to write code to let users store information to an employee database.

Your database app can create and retrieve records. Now, use PHP and the MySQL database management system for updating and deleting functions in the program.

Your MySQL database application can create, retrieve, update, and delete employee records. Now, add the finishing touches to make your CRUD app look great!

The PHP programming language makes it easy to display the date. Learn to use the PHP date function to display the date and time, as well as the Unix timestamp.

PHP has powerful functions for string manipulation. Learn how to reverse, split, hash, encrypt, and select part of a string with PHP string functions.

A PHP session is a quick and easy way to pass key value pairs from page to page. Learn how to set up PHP sessions, and destroy them to expunge the stored data.

Browser cookies let websites store useful info about a user’s needs. Hone your web development skills by learning to set and retrieve a PHP cookie.