In what ways can developers improve their database design and normalization practices when working with PHP and MySQL?

Developers can improve their database design and normalization practices by following the principles of database normalization, using appropriate data types, avoiding redundant data, and establishing relationships between tables. They can also utilize indexing for faster data retrieval and optimize queries for better performance.

// Example of creating a normalized database structure in MySQL using PHP
$connection = new mysqli('localhost', 'username', 'password', 'database');

// Create tables
$connection->query("CREATE TABLE users (
    id INT(11) AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
    username VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
    email VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL
)");

$connection->query("CREATE TABLE posts (
    id INT(11) AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
    title VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL,
    content TEXT NOT NULL,
    user_id INT(11),
    FOREIGN KEY (user_id) REFERENCES users(id)
)");