[...]... not need to know how to design or create databases or how to program All the information that you need to know about databases and programming is included in this book 3 4 PHP & MySQL For Dummies, 2nd Edition How This Book Is Organized This book is divided into six parts, with several chapters in each part The content ranges from an introduction to PHP and MySQL to installation to cre­ ating and using... using databases to writing PHP programs Part I: Developing a Web Database Application Using PHP and MySQL This part provides an overview of using PHP and MySQL to create a Web database application It describes and gives the advantages of PHP, of MySQL, and of their use together You find out how to get started, including what you need, how to get access to PHP and MySQL, and how to test your software... petitors (for instance, Oracle and Sybase) However, even though MySQL is less full featured than its commercial competitors, it has all the features needed by the large majority of database developers It’s easier to install and use than its commercial competitors, and the difference in price is strongly in MySQL s favor Chapter 1: Introduction to PHP and MySQL MySQL is developed, marketed, and supported... which data is organized and stored in a set of related tables In this book, MySQL is the RDBMS used because it is particularly well suited for Web sites MySQL and its advantages are discussed in the section, MySQL, My Database,” later in this chapter You can find out about how to organize and design a MySQL database in Chapter 3 The application: Moving data in and out of the database For the database... background, this book will be more difficult for you to use I suggest that you read an HTML book — such as HTML 4 For Dummies, 4th Edition, by Ed Tittel and Natanya Pitts, or HTML 4 For Dummies Quick Reference, 2nd Edition, by Deborah S Ray and Eric J Ray (Wiley) — and build some practice Web pages before you start this book In particular, some background in HTML forms and tables is useful However, if you’re... do and not to do when developing a Web database application Part VI: Appendixes This part provides instructions for installing PHP and MySQL for those who need to install the software themselves Appendix C discusses the installation and use of Web servers, such as Apache and IIS, for those who need to install and administer the Web server themselves Icons Used in This Book Tips provide extra information... pretty well PHP stands for PHP: HyperText Preprocessor In its early development by a guy named Rasmus Lerdorf, it was called Personal Home Page tools When it developed into a full-blown language, the name was changed to be more in line with its expanded functionality The PHP language’s syntax is similar to the syntax of C, so if you have experi­ ence with C, you’ll be comfortable with PHP PHP is actually... Storing information in a database 2 PHP & MySQL For Dummies, 2nd Edition Conventions Used in This Book This book includes many examples of PHP programming statements, MySQL statements, or HTML Such statements in this book are shown in a different typeface that looks like the following line: A PHP program statement In addition, snippets or key terms of PHP, MySQL, and HTML are sometimes shown in the... Dummies, 2nd Edition how the pieces will interact When implementing your application, you need to create the MySQL database first, so I discuss MySQL before PHP After you understand the details of MySQL and PHP, you need to put them together into a complete application, which I describe in Part IV If you’re already familiar with any part of the book, you can go directly to the part that you need For instance,... using PHP The PHP software has specific statements that you use to send instructions to the MySQL server Chapter 1: Introduction to PHP and MySQL The MySQL server must be able to understand the instructions that you send it You communicate by using SQL (Structured Query Language), which is a standard language understood by many RDBMSs The MySQL server under­ stands SQL PHP doesn’t understand SQL, but . 11:15 AM Page iii PHP & MySQL  FOR DUMmIES ‰ 2ND EDITION by Janet Valade 555898 ffirs.qxd 3/4/04 11:15 AM Page iv PHP & MySQL  For Dummies ® , 2nd Edition Published by Wiley Publishing,. iii PHP & MySQL  FOR DUMmIES ‰ 2ND EDITION by Janet Valade 555898 ffirs.qxd 3/4/04 11:15 AM Page ii 555898 ffirs.qxd 3/4/04 11:15 AM Page i PHP & MySQL  FOR DUMmIES ‰ 2ND EDITION. the author of PHP 5 For Dummies as well as the first edition of this book. In addition, Janet has authored and revised chapters for Linux books, written chapters for a Certified Internet Webmaster