php[architect]

by Zeev Suraski

In this issue, Zeev Suraski and Brad Young tackle an issue that is becoming more and more important: performance enhancements for PHP applications. With the Web experiencing continued growth, the problem of being able to squeeze the last CPU cycle out of each web server to both save money and reduce complexity is a reality we all have to deal with at some point. Zeev and Brad take a look at PHP's strengths and weaknesses in the area of performance and caching, comparing them against those of other technologies available to web developers. This article is a must-read for all PHP developers—from the beginner to the seasoned professional!

by Marco Tabini

Marco Tabini writes about the nCurses bindings for PHP and how they can help you write killer shell applications that use mouse input, multi-level windowed displays, and much more.

by Harrie Hazewinkel

Harrie Hazewinkel, author of the PHP-SNMP module, guides you through the benefits of using PHP to create tools that can manage your network through SNMP.

by Maxim Maletsky

Maxim Maletsky tackles the topic of developing database-independent applications by presenting an abstraction layer that you can use with most database systems.

by Davor Pleskina

Written by Davor Pleskina, author of his famous PHP IDE (which we also review in this issue), this article introduces the art of writing e-commerce catalogue system, from their inception through the basket and checkout process.

by Marco Tabini

Ever wondered if you could find a cheaper alternative to all the commercial PDF distillers? Marco Tabini shows how you can write one of your own—and for free—using PHP and a handful of other open-source applications.

by Jonathan Sharp

Jonathan Sharp's words will show you how you can build a complete webmail system without using the IMAP extensions—which means fast execution and fewer headaches.