How can PHP developers ensure proper sorting of data when retrieving information from multiple tables in a MySQL database?

When retrieving information from multiple tables in a MySQL database, PHP developers can ensure proper sorting of data by using the ORDER BY clause in their SQL query. This clause allows developers to specify the column(s) by which they want the data to be sorted. By including the ORDER BY clause in the query, developers can ensure that the data is returned in the desired order.

<?php
// Connect to the database
$connection = mysqli_connect("localhost", "username", "password", "database");

// Query to retrieve data from multiple tables and sort by a specific column
$query = "SELECT * FROM table1 JOIN table2 ON table1.id = table2.id ORDER BY column_name";

// Execute the query
$result = mysqli_query($connection, $query);

// Fetch and display the sorted data
while ($row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($result)) {
    echo $row['column_name'] . "<br>";
}

// Close the connection
mysqli_close($connection);
?>