This month’s issue is dedicated to PHP Frameworks—we have selected six popular choices, from Solar to Zend Framework. Our columnists are also back, discussing topics ranging from Performance to Deployment.

PHP 5.3 is much more than a point release—there are some significant updates that are coming just around the corner. Are you ready to take advantage of everything that the new version of PHP has to offer?

We are delighted to announce that the CodeWorks Tour will include the infamous Scott MacVicar! Scott will be with us for the entire seven cities, and we’re sure they will never be the same. Scott is a fabulous asset to the team and we are very happy to welcome him aboard!

PHP Conferences are a great place to learn new techniques and meet new people. The sessions however, are not always where the action is. Sometimes, the hallway track is where the most interesting sessions happen.

The PHP manual is widely recognized as an invaluable resource for beginners and professionals alike with a breadth and depth that are unmatched in the open-source world. What people don’t often realize, however, is that it is the work of volunteers—and, as such, it requires everyone’s help to thrive and grow.

Raise the roof, because Lukas Smith will be joining us for CodeWorks! You will be able to meet Lukas in all seven cities of our tour. As a part of our Tutorial Team, Lukas brings his extensive PHP and database knowledge to the lineup. Read on to learn more about Lukas and what he’ll be speaking about. We are thrilled to have him with us!

Arne Blankerts is the next speaker we’d like to announce for our CodeWorks tour! Arne will be with us for all seven cities, and we are sure you will benefit from his vast PHP expertise. Welcome to CodeWorks, Arne!

We are proud to announce that John Coggeshall will be joining us for CodeWorks 09. John will be taking part in the first three cities of the tour: San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Dallas. We are very glad to have John with us!

We are thrilled to announce that Stefan Priebsch will be taking part in CodeWorks 2009! Stefan is a consummate professional and has been solving IT problems for over 25 years. He will be joining us as a part of our Tutorial Team and will be here for all seven cities of the tour! Keep reading and we’ll tell you some interesting facts about Stefan that you may have not known.

Developers are notoriously self-confident in their ability to write code that is better, faster, cleaner and better-smelling than everybody else’s. In today’s environment, however, the focus is on producing immediately useful code—and, given the richness of today’s frameworks, those who eschew them in favour of home-grown solutions are forever running the risk of reinventing the wheel for no good reason. We have enough wheels—start building some cars.