PHP Programming Tips

The asynchronous JavaScript and XML technology, simply called AJAX technology is one main technology that is playing a major part in Web 2.0 revolution. Web developers are facing a major challenge from several years. They are unable to change the information on a part of the web page with out actually reloading the whole web page. This has really been a big problem over the years and it largely irritates the users while doing small changes in the information on a given web page. AJAX has solved this problem up to a great extent.

With the help of AJAX, web programmers can make the web page to request web server to just change information which is on a part of the web page with out reloading the whole web page. In order to achieve this, SAJAX (Simple AJAX toolkit), which is a toolkit that is totally written in PHP programming language, has been introduced. This tool kit helps the web programmer to integrate the java Script with web server side PHP language. This will make the life of the web developer very easy.

But still, there are some down sides to this AJAX technology also just like with any other web technology, for that matter any technology. One of the major limitations of AJAX technology is related to the option of book marking. This limitation can create many hectic problems for the users of the web sites especially when the information requests to the web server are done through Post and Get methods. One another major limitation is related to the Back option on any web page. When a user presses on this option, this will take the user to first page rather than the last page which he viewed. This can surely surprise many web users who use extensively this option day in and day out.

AJAX technology can be easily used with many programming languages like java, PHP and so on. However, PHP is the most suitable web programming language to implement AJAX technology. Most of tool kits including SAJAX are also written in PHP. This should make the life of PHP programmers even easier.

GOOGLE is extensively using AJAX technology in many of its products, which includes GMail, Google Suggestions and so on. It is promoting this in a big way. So, if you are a web programmer, especially if you are a PHP developer then you should try and implement AJAX technology in your future projects to realize its real potential and power.

Copyright (c) 2006 Darren Dunner

PHP, as well as other programming languages, have the ability to interact directly with the HTTP Headers.

The HTTP Headers are a separate part of the request/response body. This separation is typically a blank line. The headers provide various information. This is the place where the information type is defined (text/plain). The headers can also contain many other data points, such as the language, charset, encoding, cache-control, content length and more.

The important thing to remember is that the header is sent separately from the request or the response body. The body contains the actual data.

This is important because there will be times when you need to perform a certain action that requires the user be ‘redirected’ to another web page, or even another web site. Before all the body information is passed along through HTTP. This will save bandwidth and make your application faster.

A header redirect is common when a user does not have the privileges for a certain section of a website. As an example think of your online banking account. You must be logged in before you can see your own account information. If you try to see your data without being logged in, the web server will redirected you to the login page.

In PHP you can interact directly with the headers of HTTP. If you find that a user does not have the right credentials in a session store ($_SESSION), then that user can be redirected to another page.

This is done with the PHP header() function.

Line 1:

In line 2 above, the session information is checked to see if a session array key ‘user_credential’ exists, and is not already equal to ‘admin’. If the session key doesn’t equal admin, the header function is called and the page is redirected to the login.php page. This ensures that the user won’t be able to see critical information with permission.

Note: The session key is set when the user logs in correctly after submitting the login form. It will be empty if they have not logged in yet.

PHP headers are a very quick and efficient way to change the flow of a program. They are typically called when a users doesn’t have the correct credentials or privileges.

Website development needs to incorporate a suitable Programming Language like PHP for the excellent boost that it gives to performance. PHP is one of the most useful scripting languages regularly used in top operating systems like Linux, UNIX and Windows. PHP gives the multiple benefits of object oriented programming (OOPs), command line interface and desktop applications – some of the essential features that website developers look for in a scripting language. Website development also needs to widen the choice of programmers as much as possible. Here also PHP scores a point as the most compatible language for an array of databases such as Oracle, SQL, My SQL and ODBC. It is also available for embedding HTML coding which fulfills the requirements of dynamic website development. PHP has become an essential tool for most developers and designers who prefer it chiefly because of its flexibility and usefulness.

Another important feature of PHP is that it is suitable for big ventures like customizing CRM solutions, community sites, chatting forums and E-Commerce portals. No other programming language seems as affordable and easily controllable as PHP when it comes to ambitious website development with a well defined business goal.

To enlist a few uses of PHP that are integral parts of web development, we have to mention the following- creation of HTML web forms, compatibility with databases, monitoring of sessions and cookies to track visitors to a site, provision for up-to-date file management , creation of XML for E-Commerce sites

There are some points to be noted while using PHP as a programming language-

o PHP gives the fullest opportunity to monitor a website including access to files, password and Ethernet connections. It makes the idea of participatory business model successful in the web arena.
o HTML can be displayed through this system with the option of editing web form that may seem to be essential in course of time.
o PHP gives swift access to database through an inbuilt checking system and provides essential link.

Use of PHP ensures security for content and application which are monitored by the server rather than any other system. This also places the procurement of contents and applications on the fast track and minimizes difficulties faced by the users due to browser problems.

Website development is a fine tuned process where the recommended features of a website have to be incorporated as accurately as possible. PHP expands the horizons for programmers and developers and helps them build websites according to demand.

PHP programming is a very popular language for scripts on web sites, blogging software, and other functions online. It’s an open language with quite a few possibilities over other languages that are a bit more limited. If you want to learn PHP, you need to get started right.

The first thing that you are going to need is some basic HTML knowledge. You don’t need an advanced skill in this, but should be able to identify basic tags and understand the various elements in the code. The reason is that many times there is a blend of HTML and PHP when working with web sites or other popular scripts that are already out there.

Get yourself a good text editor that you can use. It’s very important to have one with line numbers on it. This is because when you get an error generally you are told what line number it’s on. This makes finding the mistakes very easy. Additionally, it’s nice to have PHP color syntax in your text editor so that you can tell the different parts of the code from each other based on color alone.

Also make sure that you have some basic FTP skills. This lets you upload your scripts and deal with folders online. Knowing permissions is also important. If you want to learn PHP, it’s easiest to just follow an online tutorial. There are hundreds of ones that offer easy to follow tutorials with exercises that you can follow. Do as many of these as you can until you get the basics.

After you have the basics, get a PHP manual online or in book form to follow. This will prepare you for more advanced exercises. Start making your own scripts. This is the best way to learn since you will have to think on your own versus copying exercises that are already made for you to practice. By following these simple tips you will learn PHP in no time.

Several programming languages are used for web designing, but the two most effective and extensively used web programming languages are .Net framework and PHP. It is a bit difficult task to judge and compare the effectiveness for both.

Both of them are of equal importance in terms of swapping information and contacting with different databases. asp.net is an extension of .NET which was manufactured by Microsoft and stands for using on internet application. On the contrary, PHP which stands for Hypertext Pre Processor is used in operating systems such as UNIX and LINUX. Some dissimilarities of PHP and ASP are given below.

Development and designing Cost

Php is an open source which is free to download from internet, it have the largest free module to be download and plug in to use freely which was coding and modified by million of programmer which using Php. The case is totally different as for as asp.net, you will need a series Microsoft product such as windows for operation system, visual studio or dreamweaver for programing, make is costly which compare to writing in Php language.

Application Performance

Php is an interpreted language, meaning it run directly from the code which you writing every time. In other hand, asp.Net is an optimized and compiled language, you may compiled it before upload to productivity. It is commonly accepted and proved many times over that compiled application generally load faster than interpreted ones because interpreted application must be reduced to machine instructions at runtime.

Application Environment

Php application well run on kind of platforms such as Linux, Unix, Windows, Apache as compare to asp.net in default, is only able to run on a window server.

Multiple language support

Php has been made is C++. Most of the computer programmers rely on this programming language and they consider it to be the best ever programming language. Being an extensive of .NET, asp.net capable support various language in a platform such as visual basic.net, cSharp, C++, jSharp and etc. It effective enable different language programmers easily to develop an application together without the gaps.

Database Connectivity

Php language in default is using mySQL as database back end which is also an open source and is free to download; As for asp.net language the default database back end is msSQL, which is not free. But both of them also can be modify the database connection to run on each other default database, also can be modify to run with Microsoft access, oracle and etc.

Conclusion

Wherever developing or designing with asp.net or php is fine, there numbering of websites and amazing applications are written in it by much more experienced coders than myself. That said, you should not choose the language base on speed, as development preference is much more important; use php if you feel it is a superior language.

PHP frameworks offer solid extensible architecture, with features that make source code programming easier by providing standard templates, components and plug-ins. Most of these PHP frameworks are supported by corporate or open source communities who offers solid Web development support. CakePHP, Code Igniter and Zend are some of the most popular PHP frameworks, with both advantages and disadvantages depending on your PHP requirements.

Advanced PHP programmers need more than basic source code for Web development projects. PHP frameworks offer convenient short cuts to improve efficiency, functionality, processing power and speed. Choose amongst different PHP frameworks tailored to satisfy specific coding needs.

CakePHP specializes in providing a strict, standardized extensible architecture for rapid application development using common design patterns for Model-View-Controller (MVC) and Object-Relational Mapping (ORM). CakePHP is best for novices to MVC who want a solid foundation for PHP coding.

There is a steep learning curve for CakePHP coding conventions, but many claim it is well worth it. CakePHP also has slower processing power measured in requests per second, compared to Code Igniter and Zend.

CakePHP supports MVC, multiple databases, ORM, database objects, caching, validation, Ajax and user authentication. CakePHP uses access control security. A strong open source community provides feedback, as well as, many useful components and plug-ins.

Code Igniter (CI) offers better immediate usage and common tools that are well-documented. Key advantages include compatibility, easy configuration and flexibility in coding rules.

CI supports MVC, multiple databases, database objects, templates, caching, validation and other modules. Code Igniter uses more traditional coding conventions. In tests measuring requests per second, the Code Igniter was considerably faster than either CakePHP or Zend for a series of measurements.

One disadvantage for CI is the need to write PHP source code for the creation of a “session class” for security purposes.

The Zend Framework (ZF) permits the growth of PHP programming with features such as pre-packaged applications, assistance in reducing defects and solutions tailored for different platforms (i.e. IBM, Linux and Windows). Zend also helps with cloud computing.

Web developers don’t need to reinvent the wheel; be wise and reuse common PHP source code tools. Zend offers added flexibility in PHP source code writing. Zend supports MVC, multiple databases, database objects, caching, validation and other modules. It is feature rich and has better support due to corporate backing. Zend security is access control based. Zend was in the middle between CakePHP and Code Igniter in processing speed tests for requests per second.

Don’t waste time creating PHP tools that already exist. Depending on your projects needs, there is a good PHP framework (CakePHP, Code Igniter or Zend Framework) that suits your purposes.

You probably have a good idea already, but if you don’t, PHP is one of the most popular programming languages for the online environment today. PHP is clean and simple to use and the syntax can be learned very quickly, especially if you already know a programming language.

If you are interested in learning a powerful programming language to code online applications and software, then you should definitely look into PHP development. If this is your first step into the programming world, this can be a great way to get started.

Because PHP is so powerful, you will find that from the very first day, you can begin programming your very first projects in PHP and seeing results online. The great part about using PHP is that it is an online programming language so you can put up your projects and show them off to the rest of the world immediately!

PHP is often used with MySQL which is a scripting language that accesses database and gives you further command over a variety of tasks that you can accomplish online. By using databases, you can do a lot more like collecting and storing information or keeping records of various data.

If you haven’t already, you may want to search online for code samples of PHP programs. There are many free scripts available and looking at one such script will give you a good example of what programming in PHP is like. If you don’t understand anything yet, do not worry. There are plenty of good resources out there for PHP since it is so popular.

Getting started in programming PHP is easy once you have made the decision to become proficient in it. Just pick up a really nice learn PHP online resource and jump right in! You will find that you will be programming in PHP in no time.

So, if you want to learn PHP online, improve your skills to get a better job or simply want to code a really cool application for your website, then PHP is the way to go. You will not be disappointed in any of these categories no matter what your reason is for starting in PHP. It is always highly in demand and as the internet continues to progress, it is likely that more and more people will need PHP work done for their websites and other projects.

Have you ever programmed a computer before? If not, you will find that PHP is a wonderful entrance into the world of programming. Simple yet effective, PHP packs a powerful punch for the web world that can allow you to program a multitude of tasks and more for your website. Additionally, its versatility ensures that programming skills in PHP are always in high demand.

PHP is one of the more widely used programming languages on the web today and for good reason. PHP is simple yet powerful. If you have programmed before, you will find that PHP is very easy to pick up with clear, easy syntax that makes programming a pleasure. If you have never programmed before, then PHP is a wonderful start since not only is it easy and logical to learn but you can put your programming projects immediately up on the internet for others to see and experience.

One of the reasons that PHP is so easy to learn and use is that its syntax is very nice. If you already know another programming language, you will find that PHP’s syntax is very intuitive and you should be able to pick it up very quickly. If you don’t already know a programming language, then PHP can be a good first step for you into the programming world.

If you want to program, especially online, then you should definitey look into PHP. It is an easy yet powerful programming language that will let you get started on programming internet projects righta way. If you are serious about learning PHP, don’t forget to pick up some learning resources for yourself.

PHP is an important tool in the web developer’s arsenal for programming today. If you want to do any kind of web work, then you will surely run into PHP because it is so common on the Internet today. If you are interested in learning PHP, by all means, begin learning it even today! You will be surprised at how quickly you can pick it up and at the progress you will soon make in PHP.

Linux is an operating system which is compatible with PHP (programming language). It has a good security record and has a stable operating solution to secure your customers. Linux hi Speed Servers can carry unlimited domains with huge features and the most popular cPanel. If you are looking for PHP / My SQL then this is the best choice for you as you are targeting the quality in business, it is very dedicated service.

When a web hosting company provides you with a Linux hosting system solution, it means that the site will be hosted on a platform. This operating system has the advantage of handling more processes at the same time. It is an open source, in other words, it is available for free worldwide means it is cheaper compared to other types of webhosting plus flexible and can convert your Linux web page into a windows page without hassle. There are highly optimized and variety of databases and the common types based websites are MySQL, PostgreSQL and mSQL. The system provides you with a cPanel that helps you edit your webpage easily as have an intuitive user interface. The platforms do not crash frequently. Another important feature is that we can run any application on it which gives you an extra space to run PHP or MySQL based websites as well as to run html, jsp, perl or cgi-bin applications, these are found on the same server and are also operated with the same cPanel.

When you have a Linux reseller, you do not have to create multi accounts to keep a track of different clients. Since there are many different user panels that are very important to create multi accounts but in reality it is not the case, it is very easy to keep a track of the clients and save a lot of time.

To conclude, most webmasters prefer to have this servers for their website. Linux-based servers are reputed to have a very hi uptime rate. High uptime maintenance of 99.9%, the website hosting is popular and widely used web hosting in recent years. It would be considered VIP when it comes to reliability beside the quality hosting at cheap prices. In order to meet to the needs of your reseller, many providers have opted for Linux Reselling Hosting.

Finally, I recommend Linux web hosting just because it is common. You do not need to be expert to use graphic administration panels. So if you are starting your first site, or if you have an idea for your hundred website, use a reliable, cheap Linux Reseller hosting and you will be satisfied

Believe it or not, but there is PHP programming code that will not work on every installation. This is often a big problem for the developer. Code that is working correctly on the developers computer, and on the web server, may not work on other web servers.

The start and end tags are the culprit. The following tags are most widely used when developing code. These are available with a default installation of PHP.

Line 1:

Line 1 is the start tag. It tells the PHP interpreter to start processing the program. Line 2, is the end tag, it tells the interpreter to stop processing the program. There are 2 other tags to be aware of. These are not enabled by default. They require you to change the settings in the php.ini file

Note: php.ini is a text file that holds the configuration settings for the PHP engine. Once these are changed, the web server must be restarted for the changes to be accepted.

Short Tags:


These are enabled with the ‘short_open_tag’ directive found in the php.ini file.

ASP Tags:


These are enabled with the ‘asp_tags’ directive found in the php.ini file.

Why would you choose one of the over?

A good developer is always looking for ways to save time. One tactic is to write less code. Beginners do not always know how to write less, like the more advanced developers. Advanced developers use shortcuts wherever they can.

One thing they do to reduce the amount of words in the program by typing:



Even though it is only three characters less (p-h-p). Not typing 3 characters adds up over time.

This is not a good idea. In the short term it may work. But a good developer must always be thinking about the future. How will the code grow, where will it end up.

As a website matures, so does the programming code. As a site gets larger, it is ofter moved to a new web server. The problem is that all web servers are not setup the same way. If short tags are enabled in the beginning. They may not be enabled on the next web server. Do you see the problem.

Bottom Line: Use the universally accepted PHP tags to ensure the success of your web programming project