Open source Web development with LAMP : using Linux, Apache, MySQL, Perl, and PHP

Open Source technologies are providing contemporary developers with a range of cost-effective and robust alternatives to commercial software for building dynamic, data-driven Web applications. This practical guide presents a comprehensive survey of LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, Perl, and PHP), and it shows how these solutions can be implemented efficiently and securely while improving reliability and dramatically cutting costs.Open Source Web Development with LAMP focuses on the most important core material necessary so that developers can "hit the ground running" and begin building applications right away. This book presents a balanced overview of LAMP technologies and allows the reader to decide which tool may be appropriate for the particular task at hand. After a general overview of Open Source technologies, the book presents an overview of the Web before moving on to cover structural, static, dynamic, and embedded technologies. The coverage here provides a description of the strengths and weaknesses of each Open Source technology and also acts as a reference guide for each application.Topics covered include:A comprehensive survey of Open Source technologiesStatic and dynamic data and embedded HTML on the WebLinux and Unix distributions, installations, and commandsApache Web Server, Perl, and MySQLWeb site META language (WML)Common gateway interface (CGI) and mod\_perlServer Side Includes (SSI), Embperl, and MasonPHP syntax and functionsIn addition to the discussions in the book, a companion Web site-www.opensourcewebbook.com-contains supplemental information, including tools, source code, helpful links to additional resources, and errata as needed.Complete in coverage and practical in presentation, Open Source Web Development with LAMP spotlights the tools and technologies today's developers need to create workable, dynamic, and secure Web sites using Open Source technologies. Annotation -- Provides the most useful, practical information on a broad range of open source technologies.-- Has extensive coverage of security issues. Open source technologies are providing developers with a range of more cost-effective, robust alternatives to commercial software for building dynamic, data-driven, secure Web applications. This practical guide presents a broad survey of LAMP technologies, and shows how these solutions can be implemented efficiently and securely while improving reliability and dramatically cutting costs. The book focuses on the most important core material necessary for the developer to hit the ground running and begin building applications right away, and shows the reader where to go to find comprehensive information on all the topics covered. The book introduces the pillars of open source development, and reviews the current techniques and standards for each. It shows what it is easily possible to do using them, what might be possible with more work, and how to decide which tool is appropriate for what task. In addition to the technologies in the subtitle the book also covers Embperl, mod_perl, Mason, and WML. The authors provide many examples, all of which are active on the companion Web site. Finally, the authors include extensive coverage of the security issues involved The author provide the most useful, practical information on a broad range of open source technologies. This practical guide presents a survey of LAMP technologies, and shows how these solutions can be implemented securely while improving reliability and cutting costs. The book focuses on the most important core material necessary for the developer to hit the ground running and begin building applications right away