Can anyone learn PHP?

[dojo]

I have to say that I'm usually pretty experienced with what I work on and learned my 'stuff' easily. Still, my knowledge is just for Photoshop design and HTML/CSS (plus porting the designs to Wordpress, forum scripts etc.) Still, if you put me to program anything, you're wasting my time. Have tried 3 times already to learn some PHP, but everytime I failed. Is it possible for anyone to learn it or maybe I should just stick to web design and forget about this?

[DevilKid]

I think it is all based on what 'you' want to do. I am in also the same case as you because I have tried learning PHP several times as well but failed. But I think if I do put in the hard work, I will succeed in it. There are more than enough tutorials out there for anyone (and I mean anyone) can start learning PHP. If you haven't seen The New Boston videos, they are quite informative and there are 200 of them so you could use them to learn PHP.

[Nathan]

You really need to find a project that you want done for one of your sites. Then instead of paying someone to do it, take a few days and work on it yourself.

 

% of the time you will be banging your head against the wall but it will eventually start coming together.

 

Start with something simple. After you get your first project done it becomes so much easier. You just need to take the time to do trial and error and see what the code you are using is doing.

[DevilKid]

You really need to find a project that you want done for one of your sites. Then instead of paying someone to do it, take a few days and work on it yourself.

 

% of the time you will be banging your head against the wall but it will eventually start coming together.

 

Start with something simple. After you get your first project done it becomes so much easier. You just need to take the time to do trial and error and see what the code you are using is doing.

 

If you have no knowledge of PHP, wouldn't it be really hard for you to make a project first up? I think so.. I will actually try making a project, its a good idea. I think I have enough knowledge in it to make a simple script. Got any ideas what I could make?

[Nathan]

Nope, that's the only way to learn it. Reading how to code for hours you won't commit anything to memory. You need to actually do the work to remember it.

 

Start with something small.

[bryce12]

Its usually difficult to make a transition from HTML/CSS to PHP but I'm not saying its impossible. In HTML, you don't really get to use programming skills since there are no loops, variables, pointers or error handling. However if someone has experience in C or Javascript, the transition is going to be a lot easier. Another problem is that the PHP is server side language so if one is used to testing by seeing the source code, again it will require a change of mindset.

 

Nathan is right, the only way to learn it is to dive right into it and start coding. There are several excellent tutorial sites on the web that can help you to master PHP in no time.

[DarkGizmo]

I've tried on numerous ocassions to learn more PHP and even bought a few books on it but they were all in vain because I still only know what I've learned by doing from experience. Nathan is right, you can read up on books and such but the only thing that will make it stick with you is physically doing it yourself, over and over again. I plan on trying to learn some more PHP this summer when I have time off but I doubt i'll learn much more then I already know. However, I'd like to learn enough to get by, making simple scripts and such.

[Tony]

Just to really solidify what everyone else is saying... The only way I was able to really get going with PHP was to just try and code something. It can be very discouraging when you are wanting to learn PHP but you can't figure out the simplest of tasks. You know it can't be that difficult, but you just can't figure it out.

 

You have to have a good why if you want to learn PHP... Or go take a class.

[Microsuck]

I think that anyone can learn anything!

 

PHP is a great and fairly simple language. Do some Google searching for ebooks and video tutorials online. That's how I learned. And then if you run into issues, you have a fairly large community of PHP programmers willing to help!

 

My two favorite books for PHP:

 

Learning PHP & MySQL

Beginning PHP & MySQL: From Novice to Professional

[stefan.gogoase]

I also tried a few times to learn PHP but every time I got distracted, HTML/CSS is easy once you've used a few times. I tried learning from books an tutorials but i figure when I will really need it will be the time to learn it. It was the same thing with HTML, I've stared simple and after a few months it came natural.

[Microsuck]

Best place to learn PHP after looking at phpacademy on YouTube, is Tizag.com!

[fakesky]

Ugh, when I tried to learn php, I was getting lost in tutorials, and didn't get too much knowledge, they are good if you can really focus on what they are teaching, the books work better for me, I put a greater effort to make something and to get something out of this.

[YesMan]

I sure hope anyone can learn php. Once I get done with java I'm going to hit You Tube hard and check out something new to learn. PHP might just be the next thing I'm interested in so I really want it to be something that I can grasp with either a few tutorials and then back that up by reading into it.

[Brandon]

If I can learn anyone can learn

You should read a few PHP for dummies type books to get you started. For me I read a lot of different books just to get stuff into my head, easy ones and hard ones. Install WAMP server if you are on a Windows machine, it is really simple and straight forward. Then read a lot and Google a lot. If you run into any trouble you can post here and we can maybe help you out. I mostly get answers to my questions on stackoverflow as well.

[Microsuck]

Ugh, when I tried to learn php, I was getting lost in tutorials, and didn't get too much knowledge, they are good if you can really focus on what they are teaching, the books work better for me, I put a greater effort to make something and to get something out of this.

 

When I was learning, I had this same issue, which actually turned out to benefit me. I got the basics down and even some advanced concepts just by skimming through tons of tutorials.

[techtonic]

I had a programming background before learning php so things might be different for you. But the thing I found as the best way to learn a new language is to just do stuff with it. For instance, the most basic thing to do in php is to echo a statement to the browser. Just start with that and build up. Make the echo a variable. As you see results you will understand how you got the results.