Is using TRIGGERS in PHP a recommended approach for improving efficiency in database operations related to user linking?

Using TRIGGERS in PHP can be a recommended approach for improving efficiency in database operations related to user linking. By utilizing TRIGGERS, you can automate certain actions in the database when specific events occur, such as linking users in a more streamlined manner without the need for manual intervention.

// Example of creating a TRIGGER in PHP to automatically link users in a database

// Connect to the database
$servername = "localhost";
$username = "username";
$password = "password";
$dbname = "database";

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

// Create the TRIGGER
$sql = "CREATE TRIGGER link_users AFTER INSERT ON users
        FOR EACH ROW
        BEGIN
            INSERT INTO user_links (user_id1, user_id2) VALUES (NEW.id, NEW.id);
        END";

if ($conn->query($sql) === TRUE) {
    echo "TRIGGER created successfully";
} else {
    echo "Error creating TRIGGER: " . $conn->error;
}

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