The Ajax Landscape
Clearing the Misconceptions Surrounding Ajax

By Jaisen Mathai

In this article we will create an API written in PHP using the JSON format. We will continue to complete an example that lets us create a searchable user list in AJAX consisting of less then 100 lines of code. Once we complete this article you should be able to identify different areas in your applications where combining these concepts and technologies will add value.[Read More]

Creating Web Applications Faster with CakePHP
The Web 2.0 MVC Framework for PHP

By David Berube

Web frameworks – like Ruby on Rails – are rapidly gaining popularity. Sites like 43Things.com and Basecamp are using these kinds of frameworks in large production environments, and they report significant productivity gains. However, many programmers prefer to use languages they are familiar with rather than learning a new language, such as Python or Ruby. Additionally, webhost support for some languages are spotty, so some developers would prefer a framework written in PHP. An excellent PHP web framework is CakePHP. It's a rapid development framework, similar to Rails, but lacks those disadvantages. [Read More]

Freelancer’s Corner
Managing Multiple Coding Projects

By Elizabeth Naramore

When you have many projects going on at one time, it can feel like you are Stretch Armstrong being pulled in all different directions, and you're just waiting for something to snap. Have no fear, it is possible to juggle many tasks and projects at one time, while keeping everybody happy and maintaining your own sanity. This article will give you a few tools to help achieve that goal. [Read More]

Now Playing RSS - Part II (co-starring SVN)
Improving the RSS Classes and Adding Subversion

By Nathan A. Good

In the previous issue, I introduced and explained the parts of the RSS XML file format and wrote some classes that can be used to write the RSS feeds. In this instalment, I'll refactor some of those classes a little bit, using features in PHP 5 that allow developers to extend base classes. Next, I'll look at using a PEAR module called VersionControl_SVN to get the log from a Subversion repository and expose the entries with the improved RSS classes as an RSS feed.[Read More]

Five Tips for MySQL Optimisation
Squeeze More Performance Out of Your MySQL Server

By Morgan Tocker

This article provides an introduction to optimisation in MySQL, with advice from choosing your storage engine to choosing the correct types for your data. [Read More]

MySQL in a Nutshell
From the O’Reilly Stable

By Mitchell Pirtle

Unlike most programming books that attempt to be a reference, the Nutshell series from O'Reilly takes a completely different approach to provide just the information you need to solve a particular problem. The MySQL in a Nutshell book is just that, also billed as a desktop quick reference, and nothing more. As someone who usually works in other database engines, I thought I would be a good test of the completeness and accuracy of this book.[Read More]