How can PHP error messages like "Parse error: parse error, unexpected T_VARIABLE" be resolved when searching through a database?

When encountering a "Parse error: parse error, unexpected T_VARIABLE" message in PHP while searching through a database, it typically indicates a syntax error such as a missing semicolon or a misplaced variable. To resolve this issue, carefully review the code for any syntax errors and ensure that variables are properly declared and used within the database query.

// Example PHP code snippet to resolve a "Parse error: parse error, unexpected T_VARIABLE" issue in a database search query

// Correcting the syntax error by properly concatenating the variable within the query
$search_query = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = '" . $username . "'";
$result = mysqli_query($connection, $search_query);

// Checking for errors in the query execution
if (!$result) {
    die("Error: " . mysqli_error($connection));
}

// Processing the result set
while ($row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($result)) {
    // Handle each row of data
}

// Freeing up the result set and closing the connection
mysqli_free_result($result);
mysqli_close($connection);