Is it recommended to switch from mysql_* functions to mysqli_* functions for beginners?

Yes, it is recommended for beginners to switch from mysql_* functions to mysqli_* functions as mysql_* functions are deprecated and no longer supported in PHP. Using mysqli_* functions will ensure better security and improved functionality for database interactions. To switch to mysqli_* functions, simply update your existing code to use the mysqli_* functions instead of mysql_* functions.

// Connect to MySQL using mysqli
$mysqli = new mysqli('localhost', 'username', 'password', 'database');

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

// Perform a query using mysqli
$result = $mysqli->query("SELECT * FROM table");

// Fetch data from the result set
while ($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) {
    echo $row['column_name'] . "<br>";
}

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