What are some alternative approaches to using joins in PHP queries for better performance and efficiency?

When using joins in PHP queries, it's essential to consider the performance impact, especially when dealing with large datasets. One alternative approach to improve performance is to use subqueries instead of joins, as they can sometimes be more efficient. Another option is to denormalize the data by storing redundant information in the database to reduce the need for joins. Additionally, using indexes on the columns involved in joins can also help optimize query performance.

// Example of using subqueries instead of joins for better performance
$query = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE user_id IN (SELECT user_id FROM orders WHERE total_amount > 100)";
$result = mysqli_query($connection, $query);
while ($row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($result)) {
    // Process the results
}