How important is it to have a solid understanding of PHP and MySQL fundamentals before attempting complex database operations?

Having a solid understanding of PHP and MySQL fundamentals is crucial before attempting complex database operations because it ensures that you have a good grasp of the basic concepts and syntax needed to interact with databases effectively. Without this foundational knowledge, it can be challenging to troubleshoot issues or optimize performance when working with more advanced database operations.

<?php
// Establish a connection to the MySQL database
$servername = "localhost";
$username = "username";
$password = "password";
$dbname = "database_name";

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

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

// Perform complex database operations here
// Make sure to use proper SQL queries and handle errors appropriately

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