How can the command line be utilized to import a large SQL file into a database in PHP?

When dealing with a large SQL file that needs to be imported into a database in PHP, using the command line can be a more efficient approach. By utilizing the command line, you can use the MySQL command line tool to import the SQL file directly into the database without having to rely on PHP scripts to handle the import process.

// PHP code snippet to import a large SQL file into a database using the command line

$databaseName = 'your_database_name';
$databaseUser = 'your_database_user';
$databasePassword = 'your_database_password';
$sqlFilePath = 'path/to/your/large_sql_file.sql';

// Construct the command to execute
$command = "mysql -u $databaseUser -p$databasePassword $databaseName < $sqlFilePath";

// Execute the command using shell_exec
$output = shell_exec($command);

// Check for any errors in the output
if (empty($output)) {
    echo 'SQL file imported successfully!';
} else {
    echo 'Error importing SQL file: ' . $output;
}