What are some best practices for managing database entries in PHP to avoid data loss?

To avoid data loss when managing database entries in PHP, it is essential to use transactions, validate user input, and handle errors effectively. Transactions ensure that database changes are atomic and either all succeed or none do, preventing partial updates. Validating user input helps prevent SQL injection attacks and ensures data integrity. Proper error handling helps identify and resolve issues quickly to prevent data loss.

// Start a transaction
$db->beginTransaction();

try {
    // Validate user input
    $data = validateUserData($_POST);

    // Perform database operations
    $stmt = $db->prepare("INSERT INTO users (name, email) VALUES (:name, :email)");
    $stmt->execute(array(':name' => $data['name'], ':email' => $data['email']));

    // Commit the transaction
    $db->commit();
} catch (Exception $e) {
    // Roll back the transaction on error
    $db->rollBack();
    echo "Error: " . $e->getMessage();
}