What are some common pitfalls when updating data in a MySQL database using PHP?

One common pitfall when updating data in a MySQL database using PHP is not properly sanitizing user input, which can leave the application vulnerable to SQL injection attacks. To prevent this, always use prepared statements with parameterized queries to securely update data in the database.

// Connect to the database
$mysqli = new mysqli("localhost", "username", "password", "database");

// Check for connection errors
if ($mysqli->connect_error) {
    die("Connection failed: " . $mysqli->connect_error);
}

// Prepare and execute a parameterized query to update data
$stmt = $mysqli->prepare("UPDATE table_name SET column_name = ? WHERE id = ?");
$stmt->bind_param("si", $new_value, $id);

$new_value = "new_value";
$id = 1;

$stmt->execute();

// Close the statement and connection
$stmt->close();
$mysqli->close();