What are some best practices for troubleshooting and resolving syntax errors in MySQL queries in PHP?

When troubleshooting and resolving syntax errors in MySQL queries in PHP, it is important to carefully review the query for any typos or missing punctuation. One common mistake is forgetting to enclose string values in single quotes. Another best practice is to use prepared statements to prevent SQL injection attacks and ensure proper syntax.

// Example of a correct MySQL query using prepared statements
$pdo = new PDO('mysql:host=localhost;dbname=my_database', 'username', 'password');
$stmt = $pdo->prepare('SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = :username');
$stmt->bindParam(':username', $username, PDO::PARAM_STR);
$stmt->execute();
$results = $stmt->fetchAll();