How does using prepared statements in PHP affect server resources and performance?

Using prepared statements in PHP can improve server performance by reducing the need for repeated parsing and compilation of SQL queries. Prepared statements also help prevent SQL injection attacks by automatically escaping input data. Overall, using prepared statements can lead to more efficient use of server resources and improved security in PHP applications.

// Example of using prepared statements in PHP
$stmt = $pdo->prepare('SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = :username');
$stmt->bindParam(':username', $username);
$stmt->execute();