How can errors in SQL syntax be debugged effectively when using PHP to query a MySQL database?

When debugging errors in SQL syntax when using PHP to query a MySQL database, one effective method is to use error handling functions provided by PHP and MySQL. By enabling error reporting and displaying error messages, you can quickly identify and resolve syntax errors in your SQL queries. Additionally, using prepared statements can help prevent SQL injection attacks and catch syntax errors early in the development process.

// Enable error reporting for PHP and MySQL
error_reporting(E_ALL);
ini_set('display_errors', 1);
mysqli_report(MYSQLI_REPORT_ERROR | MYSQLI_REPORT_STRICT);

// Create a connection to the MySQL database
$conn = new mysqli($servername, $username, $password, $dbname);

// Check for connection errors
if ($conn->connect_error) {
    die("Connection failed: " . $conn->connect_error);
}

// Example SQL query with error handling
$sql = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE user_id = ?";
$stmt = $conn->prepare($sql);

if (!$stmt) {
    die("Error in SQL syntax: " . $conn->error);
}

// Bind parameters and execute the query
$stmt->bind_param("i", $user_id);
$stmt->execute();

// Handle the results
$result = $stmt->get_result();
while ($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) {
    // Process the data
}

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