[333OnlyHalfEvil]

I just finished learning XHTML and Javascript, what should I be looking into to learn next?

[Dogstopper]

Well, for a client side language, I would suggest at least looking into the Javascript extension called jQuery. Learned about it recently in the 52 Weeks Of Code forum, and so far, I'm liking it's uses. As for server side languages, PHP is what I use and I'm finding it useful, especially when it comes to form validation (everything is non-seeable when you click "view source" and only the HTML representing it is seen). I haven't been doing web development for too long, but, that is my experience so far.

[333OnlyHalfEvil]

I looked into jQuery and PHP a little bit already but I don't know enough about either to know if I want to learn them right now or not. I'm going to learn photoshop first so I have awhile until I'll start learning whatever I decide to learn next.

For jQuery, what do you need it for that you can't use Javascript for?

For PHP, what is so great about it when compared to any other programming language? I already know Java, is PHP so much better at server programming than Java that it would be worth learning?

[arthurakay]

333OnlyHalfEvil, on 6 Jan, 2010 - 02:33 AM, said:

I already know Java, is PHP so much better at server programming than Java that it would be worth learning?

Well... if you already know Java, I would actually recommend looking at the Google Web Toolkit. You can build applications in Java that are translated by the GWT to run in a browser.

PHP is just as good as Java or .NET - it's just another language to write your server-side code with. However, PHP and .NET are more popular among web developers so learning it will simply make you more marketable.

[Moshambi]

Well if you know XHTML I am hoping you know CSS, if not you would definitely want to do that next. As far as anything else is concerned I would say that I agree with the other posters here. I like PHP and once you get a handle on jQuery you can really do some powerful stuff with it.

[markhazlett9]

Let's not forget MySQL here guys, PHP and MySQL go hand in hand for solid web apps

[333OnlyHalfEvil]

arthurakay, on 6 Jan, 2010 - 08:35 AM, said:

333OnlyHalfEvil, on 6 Jan, 2010 - 02:33 AM, said:

I already know Java, is PHP so much better at server programming than Java that it would be worth learning?

Well... if you already know Java, I would actually recommend looking at the Google Web Toolkit. You can build applications in Java that are translated by the GWT to run in a browser.

PHP is just as good as Java or .NET - it's just another language to write your server-side code with. However, PHP and .NET are more popular among web developers so learning it will simply make you more marketable.

I'm sure I'll end up learning it eventually. I am just trying to figure out if I want to learn it next or not. I understand that Javascript is client-side scripting and PHP is server-side scripting, I just don't know how much server-side scripting Javascript can do and if I learn PHP if I will end up using it/needing to use it right away.

Moshambi, on 6 Jan, 2010 - 10:45 AM, said:

Well if you know XHTML I am hoping you know CSS, if not you would definitely want to do that next. As far as anything else is concerned I would say that I agree with the other posters here. I like PHP and once you get a handle on jQuery you can really do some powerful stuff with it.

Ya I know CSS lol. I might end up learning jQuery next, I finally made the connection that it was a Javascript API.

markhazlett9, on 6 Jan, 2010 - 11:08 AM, said:

Let's not forget MySQL here guys, PHP and MySQL go hand in hand for solid web apps

hmm, isn't SQL really easy to hack (SQL injections)?

[Moshambi]

Quote

hmm, isn't SQL really easy to hack (SQL injections)?

Not if you do your coding correctly...

[Lemur]

MySQL itself yes, but if a programmer protects the database properly then no. It's all on the competence of the programmer.

[Moshambi]

Another thought for you would to be what I tried. See I tried learning too much at once, so I decided to just focus on a few things (XHTML, CSS, JS) and really find out as much as I could to master it. Instead of just knowing basics and how to do most things I really wanted to be able to create insane things without any thought. After mastering those 3 then I move on to another language (PHP/MySQL). Just another thought for you.

[333OnlyHalfEvil]

Lemur, on 6 Jan, 2010 - 10:17 PM, said:

MySQL itself yes, but if a programmer protects the database properly then no. It's all on the competence of the programmer.

That kind of scares me away from MySQL because I've never programmed MySQL, therefore, my competence is low and my database will, most likely, be easy to hack.
Can you give an example of how a programmer would go about doing that?

Moshambi, on 7 Jan, 2010 - 09:09 AM, said:

Another thought for you would to be what I tried. See I tried learning too much at once, so I decided to just focus on a few things (XHTML, CSS, JS) and really find out as much as I could to master it. Instead of just knowing basics and how to do most things I really wanted to be able to create insane things without any thought. After mastering those 3 then I move on to another language (PHP/MySQL). Just another thought for you.

That's an interesting thought that I'll definitely keep in mind. My plan at this point, since I have a grasp on HTML, CSS, and Javascript (I'm no master by any means), is to start making my website using these languages while learning PhotoShop (don't think I can go wrong there), and looking into new languages that I may want to learn in the future. If I manage to make my website just fine with those initial three languages then I may decide not to learn a new language. I just want to get a grasp on what else is out there and what their main purposes are.


Is Flash a little out of my league right now?

[Moshambi]

Quote

PhotoShop (don't think I can go wrong there)

Nope definitely not, that is where I lack unfortunately and it loses me a lot of potential jobs. So definitely stick to that.

Quote

Is Flash a little out of my league right now?

I don't see why it would be. It might be a little tough to learn (no idea, I don't know it) but as long as you stick with it and really try I don't see any reason for it to be "out of your league"

[333OnlyHalfEvil]

I'm still trying to figure out where the server-side scripting line is between Javascript and PHP. Can someone give me an example of a situation, in which, server-side scripting with Javascript would fail and server-side scripting with PHP would succeed?

This post has been edited by 333OnlyHalfEvil: 10 January 2010 - 02:11 AM

[Moshambi]

Javascript is actually a client-side language and PHP is a server-side. Both are powerful languages but if you want to deal with databases and such you will need to use a server-side language like PHP. Client-side languages are good for things you don't need the server for.

[333OnlyHalfEvil]

hmm I thought you could do some server side scripting with javascript. I know that you can edit files on the server with javascript.....