In PHP, why is it important to specify all the necessary columns in a SELECT query instead of using *?

Specifying all the necessary columns in a SELECT query instead of using * is important for performance reasons and to prevent unnecessary data retrieval. When using *, the query will fetch all columns from the table, including those that might not be needed. This can lead to increased memory usage and slower query execution times. By explicitly listing the columns needed, you can optimize the query and improve efficiency.

// Specify all the necessary columns in the SELECT query
$query = "SELECT column1, column2, column3 FROM table_name WHERE condition";

// Execute the query and fetch the results
$result = mysqli_query($connection, $query);

// Process the results as needed