Use your existing web-based PHP skills to write all types of software: CLI scripts, desktop software, network servers, and more. This book gives you the tools, techniques, and background necessary to write just about any type of software you can think of, using the PHP you know.PHP Beyond the Web shows you how to take your knowledge of PHP development for the web and utilise it with a much wider range of software systems. Enjoy the benefits of PHP after reading this book: save money by redeploying existing skills, not learning new ones; save time and increase productivity by using a high-level language; and make money by providing your clients a full-stack service (not just websites).PHP is no longer just a great scripting language for websites, it's now a powerful general-purpose programming language. Expand your use of PHP into your back-end systems, server software, data processing services, desktop interfaces, and more.

A unique book on PHP focusing on functions outside of web development

1. Introduction.- 2. Getting away from the Web - the basics.- 3. Understanding the CLI SAPI, and why you need to.- 4. Development tools.- 5. User facing software.- 6. System software.- 7. Interacting with other software.- 8. Talking to the system.- 9. Performance & stability - profiling and improving.- 10. Distribution and deployment issues.- A. Compiling and installing PHP and its extensions.- B. File & data format libraries for PHP.- C. Sources of help.- D. Interesting libraries, tools, articles and projects.- E. Integrated Development Environments for PHP.- 11. Where now?.