How important is it to properly close database connections in PHP scripts?

It is crucial to properly close database connections in PHP scripts to prevent memory leaks and ensure efficient resource management. Failing to close connections can lead to performance issues and potential security vulnerabilities. To solve this, always close database connections using the `close()` method or by setting the connection variable to null after use.

// Open a database connection
$connection = new mysqli($servername, $username, $password, $dbname);

// Perform database operations

// Close the database connection
$connection->close();