Are there any best practices for executing SQL queries in PHP?

When executing SQL queries in PHP, it is important to use prepared statements to prevent SQL injection attacks and ensure data security. Prepared statements separate SQL logic from user input, allowing for safe execution of queries. Additionally, using parameter binding helps sanitize user input and prevent malicious code execution.

// Establish a database connection
$servername = "localhost";
$username = "username";
$password = "password";
$dbname = "database";

$conn = new mysqli($servername, $username, $password, $dbname);

// Prepare a SQL statement using a prepared statement
$stmt = $conn->prepare("SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = ?");
$stmt->bind_param("s", $username);

// Set parameters and execute the statement
$username = "example_user";
$stmt->execute();

// Bind the result variables
$stmt->bind_result($id, $name, $email);

// Fetch results and display them
while ($stmt->fetch()) {
    echo "ID: $id, Name: $name, Email: $email";
}

// Close the statement and connection
$stmt->close();
$conn->close();