In addition to online resources and tutorials, what other learning materials or methods, such as books, are recommended for gaining a better understanding of PHP and its applications for web development?

To gain a better understanding of PHP and its applications for web development, it is recommended to supplement online resources and tutorials with books on PHP programming. Books like "PHP and MySQL Web Development" by Luke Welling and Laura Thomson or "Modern PHP: New Features and Good Practices" by Josh Lockhart can provide in-depth explanations and practical examples to enhance your learning experience.

// Example PHP code snippet
<?php
echo "Hello, World!";
?>