How can a PHP developer create a versatile search algorithm that can find partial matches in a database?

To create a versatile search algorithm in PHP that can find partial matches in a database, the developer can use SQL queries with the LIKE operator and wildcard characters (%). By using the % wildcard before and/or after the search term, the query can match partial strings in the database. This allows for more flexible and comprehensive search functionality.

$searchTerm = $_GET['search']; // Get the search term from user input

// Prepare and execute SQL query to search for partial matches in the database
$query = "SELECT * FROM table_name WHERE column_name LIKE '%$searchTerm%'";
$result = mysqli_query($connection, $query);

// Loop through the results and display them
while ($row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($result)) {
    echo $row['column_name'] . "<br>";
}