How can the use of mysqli or PDO improve database interactions in PHP applications?

Using mysqli or PDO can improve database interactions in PHP applications by providing a more secure and flexible way to interact with databases. These extensions offer prepared statements, which help prevent SQL injection attacks by separating SQL logic from user input. Additionally, mysqli and PDO support multiple database types, making it easier to switch between different databases without changing the code significantly.

// Using PDO to connect to a MySQL database
$host = 'localhost';
$dbname = 'database_name';
$username = 'username';
$password = 'password';

try {
    $pdo = new PDO("mysql:host=$host;dbname=$dbname", $username, $password);
    $pdo->setAttribute(PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE, PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION);
} catch (PDOException $e) {
    die("Error connecting to database: " . $e->getMessage());
}