How can a PHP developer effectively handle database queries and fetch results in a way that prevents errors and ensures accurate data retrieval?

To effectively handle database queries and fetch results in PHP, developers should use prepared statements to prevent SQL injection attacks and ensure data integrity. Prepared statements separate SQL logic from data input, making it safer and more efficient to execute queries. Additionally, developers should properly handle errors and exceptions to catch any issues that may arise during database interactions.

// Establish a database connection
$pdo = new PDO('mysql:host=localhost;dbname=mydatabase', 'username', 'password');

// Prepare a SQL query using a prepared statement
$stmt = $pdo->prepare('SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = :id');

// Bind parameters and execute the query
$id = 1;
$stmt->bindParam(':id', $id, PDO::PARAM_INT);
$stmt->execute();

// Fetch results as an associative array
$result = $stmt->fetch(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);

// Handle errors and exceptions
if (!$result) {
    throw new Exception('Error fetching user data');
}

// Process the retrieved data
print_r($result);