What are common mistakes to avoid when updating database values in PHP?

Common mistakes to avoid when updating database values in PHP include not sanitizing user input, not using prepared statements to prevent SQL injection attacks, and not checking for errors after executing the query. To solve these issues, always sanitize user input using functions like mysqli_real_escape_string(), use prepared statements with placeholders for dynamic values, and check for errors after executing the query.

// Connect to the database
$mysqli = new mysqli("localhost", "username", "password", "database");

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

// Sanitize user input
$value = mysqli_real_escape_string($mysqli, $_POST['value']);

// Prepare and execute the query
$stmt = $mysqli->prepare("UPDATE table SET column = ? WHERE id = ?");
$stmt->bind_param("si", $value, $id);
$id = 1;
$stmt->execute();

// Check for errors
if ($stmt->affected_rows > 0) {
    echo "Update successful";
} else {
    echo "Error updating record: " . $mysqli->error;
}

// Close statement and connection
$stmt->close();
$mysqli->close();