PEAR is a collection of packages written in PHP. Each package has specific functionality that can be incorporated into your existing code, a benefit that makes it much less time consuming to build a site or application from scratch. If you’ve done web application development in other languages, such as ASP.NET or Perl CGI, think of PEAR packages as being similar to “application blocks” or Perl modules.

PEAR, the PHP Extension and Application Repository, is a bountiful resource for any PHP developer. Within its confines lie the tools that you need to do your job more quickly and efficiently. You need to be able to quickly assess and determine which PEAR package is the right one for the task you are up against. Then you need to know the API and see some examples of how to best use it. Foundations of PEAR is your one stop for locating the PEAR package you need. Authors Nathan Good and Allan Kent have carefully selected the most useful and widely used packages for this book.

Each package is broken down logically by function, and each one is covered in detail. The book presents each package in a manner that allows you to jump quickly to the key items you need to implement a solution. The authors understand that you need to see the packages in actioneach performing in real-world applications. So theyve included four projects in the book that each use a combination of PEAR packages in their implementations. Once youre armed with the knowledge in this book, youll be set to take your PHP development to a new level.