How can I display an image that is stored on my server to my website?

Although there may be a way to display the pictures stored in a specific directory without using mySQL it will be very hard to do the other elements you want without using it. I'd recommend the php development track http://teamtreehouse.com/tracks/php-development and in particular the database foundations course http://teamtreehouse.com/library/database-foundations followed by the using mySQL with PHP module http://teamtreehouse.com/library/using-php-with-mysql

It takes some setting up and you will need to check that your hosting account allows databases but it's the best way to do the things you want. You need to be able to store user generated information and to have that information persist after the session is over. You could create a document on the server and store the information there, but it would be hard to manage and insecure, a database is a better solution.

Radha,

I think there is an easy way to do this through Wordpress. Check the documentation here: http://codex.wordpress.org/Main_Page. And also check the plug-ins directory here: https://wordpress.org/plugins/, and the Themes directory here: https://wordpress.org/themes/.

I recommend taking the Learning Wordpress Track, and if you are interested in going further, also take the Wordpress Development Track here at Treehouse.

http://teamtreehouse.com/tracks/learn-wordpress

http://teamtreehouse.com/tracks/wordpress-development

For Development Tools, check the Library here at Treehouse:

http://teamtreehouse.com/library/topic:learn-development-tools

The Database Foundations course is here, which I took and I highly recommend.

http://teamtreehouse.com/library/database-foundations

I am interested in databases, and I would like to see more courses in database management, as I think it is very important for a number of reasons, and there should be much more attention and energy devoted to this subject.

This course is also included in the PHP Development track, at the sixth stage of 11 stages in that track.

http://teamtreehouse.com/tracks/php-development

And the course is also included in the tenth stage of 12 stages of the Rails Development Track, located here: http://teamtreehouse.com/tracks/rails-development

MySQL can be installed on your domain. Look at your Cpanel on HostGator. Scroll down to Databases. I see four options under Databases: MySQL® Databases, MySQL® Database Wizard, phpMyAdmin, Remote MySQL.

I installed my own WordPress site on my domain, http://healinglight.info. HostGator is great, by the way! Great choice! I have had them as my hosting company for the past few years, and they have been great, no problems at all.

If you have a business account with them, you can get a free SSL certificate. I am doing that, for my Ecommerce and LMS integrated WordPress site, which is in currently in development by me, and I will launch it soon, at the same domain listed above.

Best regards, and please let me know how you resolve your requirements for your functions and questions.

Steve

One of the things not covered here is the security of MySQL. You will also need to learn how to protect yourself from attacks such as SQL Injection, where a user can insert SQL commands into your database to gain administrator level access to the database. I could be wrong, but I don't think there are any courses offered on Treehouse currently for dealing with SQL Security. There are, however, a ton of resources on the web you can find that deal with protecting your data using MySQL.

Marcus, Good point.

WordPress has very good security recommendations, including recommendations on how to prevent SQL injection attacks.

Please see this link:

http://codex.wordpress.org/Hardening_WordPress

and this one:

http://codex.wordpress.org/Backing_Up_Your_Database

Steve