There are many ways to learn php from home. There is a vast amount of information on the web to teach one how to program php, though I recommend getting a book to keep as a reference manual in the future.
Once you have a book, install mysql and Apache on your machine and start coding locally in a non-production environment. This will allow you to do two things:
1.) Debug your code before putting up for the public.
2.) Keep a copy on your local machine for future upgrades that you would want to make to the code.
Below, I have listed a couple of books that I recommend you to read before trying to code a project yourself.
PHP and MySQL Web Development (4th Edition)$31.18  PHP and MySQL are popular open-source technologies that are ideal for quickly developing database-driven Web applications. PHP is a powerful scripting language designed to enable developers to create highly featured Web applications quickly, and MySQL is a fast, reliable database that integrates well with PHP and is suited for dynamic Internet-based applications.
PHP and MySQL Web Development shows how to use these tools together to produce effective, interactive Web applications. It clearly describes the basics of the PHP language, explains how to set up and work with a MySQL database, and then shows how to use PHP to interact with the database and the server.
This practical, hands-on book includes numerous examples that demonstrate common tasks such as authenticating users, constructing a shopping cart, generating PDF documents and images dynamically, sending and managing email, facilitating user discussions, connecting to Web services using XML, and developing Web 2.0 applications with Ajax-based interactivity.
The fourth edition of PHP and MySQL Web Development has been thoroughly updated, revised, and expanded to cover developments in PHP 5 through version 5.3, such as namespaces and closures, as well as features introduced in MySQL 5.1.
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 | US $525.00 End Date: Saturday Feb-04-2012 20:00:52 PST Buy It Now for only: US $525.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
What are the benefits of do-it-yourself coding when there are so many freelancers one may ask. In the long run, if you are going to run an independent site (or multiple sites) you will save a lot of money by coding it yourself.
