How can the LIKE operator be used in SQL queries to improve table linking in PHP?

When linking tables in SQL queries in PHP, the LIKE operator can be used to match partial strings in columns that may not have an exact match. This can be useful when joining tables on columns that may have variations in the data. By using the LIKE operator with wildcard characters (%), you can improve the accuracy of your table linking in PHP.

<?php
// Example SQL query using the LIKE operator for table linking
$sql = "SELECT * FROM table1
        JOIN table2 ON table1.column LIKE CONCAT('%', table2.column, '%')";
$result = mysqli_query($conn, $sql);

// Process the query result
if (mysqli_num_rows($result) > 0) {
    while ($row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($result)) {
        // Process each row
    }
} else {
    echo "No results found.";
}
?>