How can PHP developers ensure that their code remains up-to-date and compliant with best practices, especially in relation to deprecated functions like mysql_?

To ensure that PHP code remains up-to-date and compliant with best practices, developers should regularly review their codebase for deprecated functions like mysql_ and replace them with modern alternatives like mysqli or PDO. This can help prevent compatibility issues and security vulnerabilities in the future.

// Before
$result = mysql_query($query);

// After
$connection = mysqli_connect($host, $username, $password, $database);
$result = mysqli_query($connection, $query);