Advanced PHP Programming By: George Schlossnagle Published by Sams
So you've built couple of websites, are comfortable looking up things in the PHP manual, tackled and conquered working with databases and SQL, turned your hand to Object Oriented Programming and found it "Cool", written and read flat files, and can code a web form in your sleep.
Feeling pretty comfortable PHP are you? But haven't you felt like you want to do more? Go to the next level? But you didn't know what you were looking for never mind the the correct questions to ask?
If so "Advanced PHP Programming" is for you. It opens up your eyes and a whole new world with a lingo all it's own. This book is for the intermediate to senior programmer who wants to expand their knowledge base for enterprise level applications.
For example - Part I covers coding style, design patterns and OOP, templating and Smarty, Bash scripting, Unit testing, CVS and group projects, and writing an API. And that is just the beginning of an incredible range of subjects. All in all there are 5 parts that range from caching to extending the Zend Engine.
Granted the author doesn't go in depth into any of the subjects - more of a "hey this is available or being implemented, you should look more into this when you have the time". The author includes a general discussion what it is, how it is used, where it is used and what can be gained by using it (remember - each subject could have a book just on it). With various examples and best practices.
I have learned a lot reading this book. There are a few things that I don't see myself needing in the near future (working with distributed systems) but it is nice to know that the next time it comes up on a conversation, I won't be completely lost. Knowledge is power after all.
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