Beginning PHP and MySQL: From Novice to Professional, Third Edition

CHAPTER 10Working with the File and Operating System

It's quite rare to write an application that is entirely self-sufficient—that is, a program that does not rely on at least some level of interaction with external resources, such as the underlying file and operating system, and even other programming languages. The reason for this is simple: as languages, file systems, and operating systems mature, the opportunities for creating much more efficient, scalable, and timely applications increases greatly as a result of the developer's ability to integrate the tried-and-true features of each component into a singular product. Of course, the trick is to choose a language that offers a convenient and efficient means for doing so. Fortunately, PHP ...