What are some potential pitfalls of using multiple joins in a PHP MySQL query?

Using multiple joins in a PHP MySQL query can lead to performance issues, especially when dealing with large datasets. It is important to optimize the query by using proper indexing, limiting the number of joins, and only selecting the necessary columns. Additionally, it is recommended to test the query performance and consider denormalizing the database if necessary.

<?php
// Example of optimizing a query with multiple joins
$query = "SELECT * FROM table1 
          JOIN table2 ON table1.id = table2.table1_id 
          JOIN table3 ON table2.id = table3.table2_id 
          WHERE table1.column = 'value'";

// Optimize the query by selecting only necessary columns
$query = "SELECT table1.column1, table2.column2, table3.column3 FROM table1 
          JOIN table2 ON table1.id = table2.table1_id 
          JOIN table3 ON table2.id = table3.table2_id 
          WHERE table1.column = 'value'";
?>