php[architect]

by Mike Wallner

Everybody uses it. Few people really utilize its features, and only a handful bring out the best in it. With this article, author Mike Wallner helps you become one of those people in the third group by shedding some light on the features of HTTP. Along the way, you will learn how to make your life with HTTP easier by using his HTTP PECL extension.

by Jason McCreary

The simple Web site is becoming a thing of the past. Today, complex online systems and rich Web applications reign. Developers struggle to meet demanding user requirements and stay on the cutting edge, if not the bleeding edge. As time becomes more precious, waste becomes more unacceptable. More than ever before, the modern Web developer needs to adopt practices and tools to remain efficient. Join Jason McCreary in discovering how to automate some of the more repetitive development tasks.

by Anant Narayanan

PHP-GTK 2 enables you to achieve rapid application development through conventional GTK+ tools, such as Glade. PHP-GTK 2 extensions also allow the developer to use certain specialized widgets for special purposes. This article, the second of a two-part series on PHP-GTK 2, by contributor Anant Narayanan, will take a tour around some of the more advanced concepts in desktop application development using PHP.

by Titus Barik

Rich Internet applications are a hot topic at present. In this article, returning author Titus Barik introduces OpenLaszlo, an upcoming technology designed to address this issue using XML and Flash. He explains how to embed OpenLaszlo applications into your PHP scripts, and how you can use PHP as a bridge to communicate MySQL data via XML.

by Ilia Alshanetsky

One of the things that allows PHP to be as flexible as it is, is a fairly large set of configuration options that are often controlled via the php.ini configuration file. These configuration directives dictate the behavior of the language, which in turn permits different modes of operation, depending on the user’s needs and environment. Explore the security implications of various settings with security expert Ilia Alshanetsky.

by Jeff Moore

Chances are, you've searched for the Holy Grail of code: ultimate reusability. Supporting variation from a single code base, however, presents a special set of challenges. This month, Test Pattern readers benefit from Jeff Moore's wealth of experience in software design, both anecdotally and academically.