How can the deprecated mysql_* functions in PHP be replaced with modern alternatives like mysqli_* or PDO for improved security and functionality?

The deprecated mysql_* functions in PHP should be replaced with modern alternatives like mysqli_* or PDO to improve security and functionality. This is because the mysql_* functions are outdated, lack support for prepared statements, and are vulnerable to SQL injection attacks. By switching to mysqli_* or PDO, developers can utilize features like prepared statements, parameterized queries, and object-oriented interfaces for safer and more efficient database interactions.

// Using mysqli_* functions to connect to a database and perform a query
$servername = "localhost";
$username = "username";
$password = "password";
$dbname = "database";

// Create connection
$conn = new mysqli($servername, $username, $password, $dbname);

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

// Perform a query
$sql = "SELECT * FROM table_name";
$result = $conn->query($sql);

if ($result->num_rows > 0) {
    // Output data of each row
    while($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) {
        echo "id: " . $row["id"]. " - Name: " . $row["name"]. "<br>";
    }
} else {
    echo "0 results";
}

// Close connection
$conn->close();