PHP and MySQL programming have never been more popular. This is because of a renewed interest in application development, due to tools and technologies such as the iPhone software development kit (SDK), Android, Facebook Markup Language (FBML), and content management systems (CMSs) such as Joomla. PHP and MySQL are the first choice of programming enthusiasts and entrepreneurs who want to bring their ideas to life.

This book claims to be the one everybody needs to create Web applications using PHP. It is a beginner’s book that briefly covers all the important aspects of a complete Web site. As the name suggests, the book intends to be a complete guide to understanding PHP and MySQL, and using them to build dynamic Web sites. It is easy to read and covers all major aspects of PHP programming, with as much detail as nearly 900 pages allows.

The book consists of six sections. Part 1 covers PHP, and Part 2 covers basic MySQL installation and use. Part 3 covers more advanced topics, such as cookies and sessions, and handling exceptions. Part 4 explains how to use PHP with other databases, such as PostgreSQL and the PHP Extension and Application Repository (PEAR), and also provides some information on Oracle and SQLite. Part 5 teaches readers how to send emails and integrate their application with various languages, including Java, JavaScript, and Extensible Markup Language (XML); finally, it covers the creation and use of Web services using PHP. Part 6 ends the book with a few case studies.

The authors jumped the gun by writing this book for PHP 6--Version 6 still doesn’t exist. However, all of the code examples and snippets are valid and quite useful.

In summary, this well-written and comprehensive reference is appropriate for readers who are looking for a single resource on PHP and MySQL. However, except for a few chapters, its usefulness is lost once the reader graduates from a beginner to an intermediate level.