Introduction to PHP Scripting

This hands-on course introduces the creation of dynamic web pages using the popular PHP scripting language. Participants will learn how to create web pages that vary their output based on user input. The basic building blocks of PHP and web programming will be covered in a series of hands-on exercises, including: variables, arrays, control structures, sessions, reading from external sources, and security. The course is intended for anyone who maintains a web site that needs to accept and process basic user input. Web managers, library systems staff, and people investigating the use of PHP-based Content Management Systems will benefit from this course.

Due to time constraints, this course will not cover using PHP to interact with databases, XML, or library-specific data structures such as MARC.

Prerequisites are basic knowledge of HTML and web page creation, and the ability to use a plain text editor. No prior knowledge of programming is required.

The instructors are John Durno (Coordinator, Information Technology Services, University of Victoria Libraries) and Mark Jordan (Head of Library Systems, Simon Fraser University).