What are some common mistakes to avoid when handling SQL queries in PHP applications?
One common mistake to avoid when handling SQL queries in PHP applications is not sanitizing user input, which can lead to SQL injection attacks. To prevent this, always use prepared statements with parameterized queries to separate SQL logic from user input.
// Example of using prepared statements to prevent SQL injection
$stmt = $pdo->prepare("SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = :username");
$stmt->bindParam(':username', $username);
$stmt->execute();
$results = $stmt->fetchAll();