i read alot of articles stating that if you're working with a form with a database backend...you use javascript to validate form entries. and once data are ready and valid you use php to save these data to the database.

1. is this the common practice of everybody?
2. correct me if im wrong. here it appears that javascript does all the dirty works. is the function of php simply to store data to the database?

I don't know where you read the articles you read, but that quite frankly is a pantload.

There's nothing wrong with using Javascript to validate a form if it's not your only method of validation. Like the Flash question you asked earlier, not everyone has Javascript enabled and in a browser such as Firefox, it's all too easy to disable.

You're better off to have a programming language, such as PHP, perform the validation with Javascript being used as a validator only for those who have it enabled (in other words, users with it enabled will have two levels of validation, Javascript and PHP...those that don't will still have PHP validation.)

Never leave the door open for anyone to do anything stupid like get past your form with no validation...not only will they do that, but they will see your entry point for stupidity and raise you ten idiotic things you and I would never have dreamed of. And that's a poker game that you don't want to play.

ok adam i got ur point. which is better option and more efficient use flash forms or <form...> tag itself?

To add a little to this, if you are already using a server side language to put the data into a database, it would make more sense to use that same language to validate the info. Why have 2 languages doing something 1 could do.

Plus Adam hit the nail on the head about javascript. User can just disable js in their browsers. Something like php is handles at the server... making it more secure.

The <form> tag. Not everyone has or wants to use Flash.