Josip Miskovic
Josip Miskovic

12 Best PHP Books in 2023

Most popular

  • Understand the basics of PHP programming
  • Set up a server for running PHP scripts
  • Use constants, variables and operators in PHP
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  • Use modern PHP features, such as namespaces, traits, generators and closures
  • Find, use and create PHP components
  • Follow best practices for application security, working with databases and handling errors/exceptions
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  • Write clean PHP code: object fundamentals, design principles, and best practices
  • Master advanced object-oriented features such as static methods and properties, managing error conditions with exceptions, creating abstract classes and interfaces
  • Use design principles to deploy objects effectively in projects
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  • Quickly build new sites and applications with clean, readable code
  • Use Blade templating for customising user interfaces
  • Explore tools for gathering, validating, normalizing and filtering user data
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PHP is the most popular server-side programming language.

77.6% of all the websites use it.

With all the new features of PHP 8, it's still one of the best programming languages to learn.

To help you get started, here are the best PHP books available in 2023:

1. Learn PHP in One Day and Learn It Well. PHP for Beginners with Hands-on Project.

1. Learn PHP in One Day and Learn It Well. Book Cover

Jamie Chan takes complex concepts and breaks them down into simple steps. Chan selected PHP topics to give you broad exposure to the language and detailed examples illustrate each concept.

This book covers essential topics of PHP. Such as HTML form handling, security management (XSS and SQL injection prevention), object-oriented programming, error/exception handling techniques, databases and more.

It also offers step-by-step guidance on how to apply these concepts. You'll follow an accompanying project that requires hands-on experience. You'll be setting up servers, creating databases, and connecting them to programs.

Authors: Jamie Chan, Lcf Publishing

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Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Understand the basics of PHP programming
  • Set up a server for running PHP scripts
  • Use constants, variables and operators in PHP
  • Use common data types and built-in functions used in PHP
  • Understand cookies, sessions, forms, security and OOP concepts
  • Connect to databases and handle errors/exceptions
  • Develop a hands on project applying all topics covered in the book

2. Modern PHP New Features and Good Practices

2. Modern PHP Book Cover

Modern PHP offers an up-to-date guide on the latest features of this powerful language.

With clear guidance from author Josh Lockhart, you'll learn how to work with new components and tools. You'll explore namespaces, traits, generators, closures and Facebook’s HVVM & Hack languages.

Learn best practices for application architecture planning and security. Gain insight into working with databases, errors/exceptions and deployment techniques. Get detailed information on testing, debugging and tuning your applications for optimal performance in production environments.

This book is perfect for developers who already have a basic understanding of PHP programming but want to explore more advanced topics.

Authors: Josh Lockhart

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Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Use modern PHP features, such as namespaces, traits, generators and closures
  • Find, use and create PHP components
  • Follow best practices for application security, working with databases and handling errors/exceptions
  • Master tools and techniques for deploying, tuning testing and profiling your PHP applications
  • Explore Facebook’s HVVM and Hack language implementations -and the impact they have on modern PHP
  • Build a local development environment that closely mirrors your production server.
  • With the help of Josh Lockhart's practical guide, you can become an expert in the latest PHP features and best practices. Get started now!

3. PHP 8 Objects, Patterns, and Practice Mastering OO Enhancements, Design Patterns, and Essential Development Tools

3. PHP 8 Objects, Patterns, and Practice Book Cover

With PHP 8 Objects, Patterns, and Practice you'll gain a strong foundation of PHP. You'll learn object-oriented programming, design principles, and the latest tools & practices to create rock-solid systems with PHP.

This book is perfect for any seasoned PHP developer who wants to use the object-oriented features of PHP 8 in their projects.

Beyond PHP, you'll explore automated testing, version control, package management, and continuous integration. These are all essential components of successful projects.

Authors: Matt Zandstra

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Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Write clean PHP code: object fundamentals, design principles, and best practices
  • Master advanced object-oriented features such as static methods and properties, managing error conditions with exceptions, creating abstract classes and interfaces
  • Use design principles to deploy objects effectively in projects
  • Discover a set of powerful patterns that can be implemented in own projects
  • Manage multiple developers via version control
  • Automate testing with unit testing strategies
  • Package management for builds/dependencies with Composer
  • Implement continuous integration
  • Essential development tools available with PHP 8

4. Laravel: Up & Running A Framework for Building Modern PHP Apps

Best PHP Framework Book (Laravel)

4. Laravel: Up & Running Book Cover

Laravel Up & Running is a practical guide to help experienced PHP web developers get started with the Laravel framework quickly.

This book provides an overview of features such as Blade templating, Eloquent ORM, Illuminate request object and more. It also covers newer features like Dusk and Horizon, community resources, non-core packages and more.

This book is the best resource if you want to build high-quality websites and applications with Laravel.

Authors: Matt Stauffer

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Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Quickly build new sites and applications with clean, readable code
  • Use Blade templating for customising user interfaces
  • Explore tools for gathering, validating, normalizing and filtering user data
  • Investigate Eloquent ORM for working with application databases
  • Examine the role of Illuminate request object in the application lifecycle
  • Use testing options such as PHPUnit, Mockery and Dusk
  • Write JSON and RESTful APIs
  • Use filesystem access, sessions, cookies caches and search features
  • Gain insight into queues jobs events WebSocket event publishing and more

5. Learning PHP, MySQL & JavaScript A Step-by-step Guide to Creating Dynamic Websites

5. Learning PHP, MySQL & JavaScript Book Cover

Learning PHP, MySQL & JavaScript is a comprehensive guide to fullstack web programming.

It shows readers how to use open source technologies and web standards in combination with basic HTML knowledge to build interactive, data-driven websites.

You will learn dynamic web programming using current core technologies like PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, CSS, HTML5 jQuery and the powerful React library.

You will also discover techniques for managing cookies and sessions as well as tips on optimizing sites for mobile devices and creating a fully functional social networking site tailored for both desktop and mobile browsers.

Want to learn more about fullstack web development?
Check out my review of the best Web Development books.

Authors: Robin Nixon

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Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Use open source technologies and web standards to build interactive, data-driven websites
  • Master the latest versions of core technologies
  • Optimize websites for mobile devices
  • Create dynamic PHP web pages tailored to each user
  • Manage and sessions while keeping security high
  • Enhance JavaScript with React library skills
  • Make Ajax calls between browser & server
  • Style web pages using CSS skills
  • Implement HTML5 features like geolocation audio/video & canvas element
  • Reformat website into a mobile app for browser use
  • Build a fully functional social networking site suitable for both desktop & mobile browsers.

6. Building Web Apps with WordPress WordPress as an Application Framework

Best for WordPress Developers

6. Building Web Apps with WordPress Book Cover

With Building Web Apps with WordPress, you will explore how to use the beloved blogging platform to create sophisticated web apps.

With this practical guide and knowledge of PHP, HTML, CSS and JavaScript, learn how to utilize plugins and themes to build fast, secure and scalable applications such as SchoolPress.

This book is a great resource for PHP developers who want to take advantage of all the possibilities WordPress offers.

To help you get started, the code examples for the book are available on GitHub.

Authors: Brian Messenlehner, Jason Coleman

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7. PHP & MySQL Server-side Web Development

7. PHP & MySQL Book Cover

This full-color book is an ideal guide for learning PHP and MySQL. PHP and MySQL languages are used to create dynamic websites like Facebook, Wikipedia and WordPress.

This book covers topics such as creating articles, posts and profiles that can be saved in a database, uploading images/files, sending email notifications, adding "likes" & comments on posts. All of which are illustrated by visually appealing infographics and pro tips.

You'll also be developing a complete content management system with features usually seen in social media networks.

Best-selling author, Jon Duckett, gives you a clear step-by-step instructions backed up with code examples to help you apply your knowledge practically.

Authors: Jon Duckett

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8. PHP 8 Programming Tips, Tricks and Best Practices A practical guide to PHP 8 features, usage changes, and advanced programming techniques

8. PHP 8 Programming Tips, Tricks and Best Practices Book Cover

This book is designed to help PHP developers get up-to-speed with the new features available in PHP 8.

It covers topics ranging from object-oriented programming, procedural programming enhancements, error handling improvements and backward compatibility issues.

The authors also discuss specific best practices for improving performance. They also give a comprehensive overview of asynchronous programming using Swoole and Fibers.

Authors: Doug Bierer, Cal Evans

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Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Gain a comprehensive understanding of the new PHP 8 object-oriented features
  • Discover new PHP 8 procedural programming enhancements
  • Understand improvements in error handling in PHP 8
  • Identify potential backward compatibility issues
  • Avoid traps due to changes in PHP extensions
  • Find out which features have been deprecated and/or removed in PHP 8
  • Become well-versed with programming best practices enforced by PHP 8
  • Detect potential code breaks and keep your application code running smoothly in PHP 8
  • Explore an exciting new trend
  • Use Swoole and Fibers

9. Learn PHP 8 Using MySQL, JavaScript, CSS3, and HTML5

9. Learn PHP 8 Book Cover

Learn PHP 8 is the perfect book for beginners who want to learn how to create a secure, object-oriented three-tier application using the latest features of PHP 8.

Through step-by-step instructions, you will build and test modules within each tier while learning key programming techniques such as interfaces and dependency injection.

With plenty of coding examples and practical exercises provided throughout, you'll gain experience in developing applications that use MySQL databases and multi-functional user interfaces.

Authors: Steve Prettyman

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Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Program PHP 8 web applications
  • Use interfaces, containers, and platforms
  • Apply modular programming
  • Manage data objects and use MySQL and other databases
  • Work with multi-functional and secure user interfaces
  • Handle logging exceptions and more
  • Create complete three-tier applications using natural processes
  • Design and create applications to reinforce concepts learned
  • Implement object-oriented and dependency injection techniques for independent tiers
  • Write secure code with a strong emphasis on creating secure code.

10. Programming PHP, 4th Edition

10. Programming PHP, 4th Edition Book Cover

Programming PHP, 4th Edition provides a comprehensive introduction to the most widely used language for developing web applications.

With clear explanations and examples, it teaches you the fundamentals of working with PHP. From data types and variables to creating functions, arrays, objects and more.

The book also covers practical techniques such as form processing, session tracking and cookies handling while introducing tips on security, error handling and performance tuning.

Authors: Kevin Tatroe, Peter MacIntyre

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Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Use fundamentals, including data types, variables, operators, and flow control statements
  • Explore functions, strings, arrays, and objects
  • Apply common web application techniques such as form processing, data validation, session tracking and cookies
  • Interact with relational databases like MySQL or NoSQL databases such as MongoDB
  • Generate dynamic images create PDF files and parse XML files

11. Clean Code in PHP Expert tips and best practices to write beautiful, human-friendly, and maintainable PHP

11. Clean Code in PHP Book Cover

Clean Code in PHP is a beginner-friendly book for PHP developers looking to learn best practices for writing clean code.

This comprehensive guide covers topics such as coding principles, metrics, automated tests, software design patterns, continuous integration and working with teams.

Authors: Carsten Windler, Alexandre Daubois

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Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Write clean code specific to PHP development
  • Apply best practices for writing clean code in real-world PHP app development environments
  • Discover tips and techniques for working on large-scale PHP apps with a team
  • Write effective documentation for your PHP projects
  • Develop an understanding of metrics to determine the quality of your code
  • Master automated tests, continuous integration, and software design patterns
  • Explore coding guidelines and practices for working in teams.

12. PHP and Algorithmic Thinking for the Complete Beginner (2nd Edition) Learn to Think Like a Programmer

12. PHP and Algorithmic Thinking for the Complete Beginner (2nd Edition) Book Cover

PHP and Algorithmic Thinking for the Complete Beginner is a comprehensive guide for those with no prior coding experience.

It covers all aspects of algorithmic thinking, including problem-solving techniques and coding basics.

Additionally, it contains 250 solved exercises plus 450 unsolved problems with answers available online. It's a great resources for self-studying.

Authors: Aristides S. Bouras

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Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Understand the basics of computer programming
  • Understand Algorithmic Thinking and problem solving process
  • Grasp Object Oriented Programming (OOP) concepts
  • Improve comprehension through 150 multiple choice questions and 200 review questions & crosswords
Josip Miskovic
About Josip

Josip Miskovic is a software developer at Americaneagle.com. Josip has 10+ years in experience in developing web applications, mobile apps, and games.

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