What is the best way to learn PHP? And/or CSS?

[CultureClick]

What is the best way for me to learn PHP and CSS? I've learned some, repeat s-o-m-e, meaning "little", from books. I understand it in principle. I've got a good brain. I write HTML. But obviously I have to learn PHP and CSS, inside and out, so... what's the best way?

Thanks!

CultureClick the toddler Zenner

[stevesh]

Depends on you, mostly. I learn best from books that contain a lot of example code. Some people learn most easily from watching videos. There are a lot of good tutorials for both PHP and CSS on the Web, too.

I think CSS is proabably easiest to learn by just doing stuff on a test Zencart site, using your Firefox tools.

[CultureClick]

I wish there was a specific course - maybe some enterprising soul will offer one.

[twistafix]

I am teaching myself HTML, CSS, PHP and MySQL at the moment, I found the 'Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML' published by O'Reilly to be a very good learning tool, it might seem a little basic at first especially if you have some prior knowledge of the subject, however, its teaching methodology is to help you learn by understanding what you are learning, rather that just presenting a subject to you. It is littered with structured examples and excercises with downloadable code for the initial starting point of each, and the final point so you can compare if stuck.

It wont go in to advanced depths, but it should be enough to give a solid basis of understanding. They also have a PHP & MySQL title as well as others. I bought the paperback version of the HTML/CSS one and dont regret it at all, however, I have noticed, if you google, you can find pdf's of them too.

[lat9]

For HTML and CSS, www.w3schools.com offers some good instructions. For PHP, check out www.php.net as a good source of documentation (not so much a tutorial).

[xwielder]

I personally love Lynda.com. Great PHP and CSS stuff there, especially for beginners.