What are some alternative approaches to linking variables in PHP if direct linking is not recommended?

When direct linking variables in PHP, it can lead to security vulnerabilities such as SQL injection attacks. To avoid this, it is recommended to use alternative approaches such as using prepared statements or input validation to securely link variables. 

// Using prepared statements to link variables securely
$stmt = $pdo->prepare("SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = :username");
$stmt->bindParam(':username', $username);
$stmt->execute();
```

```php
// Input validation to securely link variables
$username = filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'username', FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);
$password = filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'password', FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);

Keywords

variable linking pass by reference global keyword static keyword singleton pattern

Related Questions