Are you interested in a career in programming? Learn how mastering PHP and MySQL can open up new opportunities in web development and beyond.
Key Insights
- PHP is a widely used open-source scripting language often paired with MySQL, a structured query language for database management. These two powerful tools are used in many major web applications, including Facebook and Netflix.
- With PHP and MySQL, you can create dynamic website content, implement real-time applications like chatbots and social networks, and enhance web security through user authentication and two-step verification.
- Most programming languages, including PHP and MySQL, are free and open-source. Costs associated with programming typically come from purchasing computer equipment or hosting websites.
- Despite a perceived decline in popularity, PHP is still used in about 80% of websites today and is an easy-to-learn language with a large supportive community.
- Noble Desktop offers a variety of courses in PHP and MySQL, including a free introductory course, providing hands-on training from expert instructors.
- Salaries for PHP and MySQL developers can vary, but they're generally competitive, reflecting the languages' ongoing relevance in today's digital landscape.
When you start programming, you may worry about how expensive it will be. However, the costs associated with PHP and MySQL are minimal. As with most programming languages, they are open courses and free to use. You may run into costs if you need to purchase a new computer or if you want to host a website. To start programming with PHP and MySQL, you can do so for free.
What is PHP & MySQL?
PHP is a widely used open-source scripting language on the server side of web development. This free and open-source coding language is one of the more accessible coding languages to learn while offering advanced features for professional programmers. The majority of the time, PHP is used for making web servers. One thing that makes PHP simple is that it is platform-independent and can run on any operating system without a problem.
Typically when you work with PHP, you will also work with MySQL as the database management system. MySQL is a structured query language that plays a central role in computing. Instead of storing data in a big storage room, MySQL stores all of the data in separate tables that efficiently tracks and manages all of the data from the websites. You can find that both PHP and MySQL power several of the most accessed web applications, including Facebook, Netflix, Uber, and Twitter.
Read more about PHP and MySQL and why you should learn them.
What Can You Do with PHP & MySQL?
When thinking about what you can do with various programming languages, you'll probably think of the countless websites and web applications you could create; however, with PHP and MySQL, you can do much more.
You can create dynamic page content by working with a server-side programming language. Many programmers working with PHP and MySQL work with e-commerce and WordPress themes. You can write the script for and create desktop applications. However, these are things that other programming languages can accomplish as well. PHP is great for web security as you can easily set up user authentication and two-step verification with PHP. This security trick will allow your websites to use the cornerstones of web security with a few simple steps. You have easy database connectivity, which is why you often see PHP paired with MySQL.
With PHP, you can implement real-time applications like chats, bots, social networks, and games into your website. To do this, you need to create the application using a different language, then use local PHP back end code to implement it into the website. However, these are just a few things you can accomplish with PHP; the more familiar you become with the language, the more you will be able to accomplish.
In-Depth Review of the Cost
As you dive deeper into web development, you will realize that many, if not all, the languages you use will be free as they are open source, and everyone has access.
Your costs will come into play if you purchase a new, up-to-date computer which can cost anywhere between $1000 and $4000, depending on the model. However, this cost is eliminated if you can code on your current computer without issues.
The other cost you will encounter is hosting websites. A website host falls between $5 a month and $40 a month, depending on the site you choose and how much you want to spend. However, these costs are completely optional. To code with PHP and MySQL, you do not need to spend a cent if you do not want to.
Why Learn PHP & MySQL?
You may wonder why you should take the time to learn PHP and MySQL. Over the years, PHP has declined in popularity, with new coding languages coming onto the scene. Despite the decline in popularity, it is still used in about 80% of websites today. It is still an easy-to-learn language accompanied by a large community that willingly shares information and tips. You can find many jobs requiring proficiency in PHP and MySQL.
PHP is a great language to learn if you start with web development. It can be a great stepping stone to other coding languages. Starting with PHP and MySQL gives you a user-friendly experience that gives you more control over the language. The syntax is forgivable, making it perfect for those who have never coded. Beginners can take their time to work out the hiccups with simple language before jumping into a more complex language. PHP and MySQL are for more than just beginners. The more you work with the language, the more advanced coding you can do with it.
Read more about why you should learn PHP and MySQL.
Free Introductory PHP & MySQL Course Online
If you cannot commit to a lengthy course but want to start your programming journey, you can learn for free online. Check out Noble Desktop's free Intro to WordPress for Developers course. This course will give a basic overview of how to use PHP in WordPress. In this course, students will focus on the developer side of WordPress, learning how to develop themes, how they work, and how to upload them. Noble Desktop also provides other free seminars in various programming languages.
Other schools also provide free web development courses. Coursera provides courses on how to build websites using WordPress and how to build web apps in PHP. You can also audit their longer web development courses for free. Udemy also offers several free introductory courses for PHP and MySQL. You can also find hundreds of web development videos on YouTube to help you get started with various programming languages. You can check out Noble Desktop's YouTube Channel for various web development videos.
Read about more free PHP and MySQL videos and online tutorials.
Learn Web Development with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop
Noble Desktop provides various web development classes that meet various scheduling needs and learning styles. No matter which class you enroll in, you’ll learn from expert instructors in small intimate classes. Any students can attend in-person training at Noble's Manhattan campus or remotely from anywhere worldwide. In addition to the courses, students can retake the course within of year of completion for no additional charge, giving them more time to hone their skills.
For those interested in beginning their web development journey, Noble offers a short Intro to WordPress for Developers course that covers the basics of PHP. This course covers how WordPress Themes work and how to develop and upload them onto a live site. For a more in-depth look into web development through WordPress, consider the WordPress Bootcamp. This course goes more in-depth on how to use HTML, CSS, and PHP to develop websites for WordPress.
If you want a general overview of PHP and MySQL, you can take the PHP and MySQL bootcamp course. In this course, you learn the fundamentals of both PHP and MySQL. Before taking this course, you should have some basic HTML and CSS knowledge.
Those interested in learning other back end web development languages to start their web development career should consider enrolling in the JavaScript Development Certificate course or the Python Developer Certificate course. Both courses go in-depth into each language. After learning PHP and MySQL, you should consider learning JavaScript and Python, as you will encounter them throughout your programming career. Having each of these languages on your programming toolbelt with help jumpstart your web development career!