What are some recommended methods for storing and retrieving data in PHP?

One recommended method for storing and retrieving data in PHP is to use a database management system like MySQL. This allows for efficient storage and retrieval of data using SQL queries. Another method is to use PHP's built-in file handling functions to store data in text files or JSON format. Additionally, using PHP sessions or cookies can be useful for storing data temporarily on the server or client side. Example PHP code snippet using MySQL to store and retrieve data:

// Connect to MySQL database
$servername = "localhost";
$username = "username";
$password = "password";
$dbname = "myDB";

$conn = new mysqli($servername, $username, $password, $dbname);

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

// Insert data into database
$sql = "INSERT INTO users (name, email) VALUES ('John Doe', 'john@example.com')";
$conn->query($sql);

// Retrieve data from database
$result = $conn->query("SELECT * FROM users");
if ($result->num_rows > 0) {
    while($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) {
        echo "Name: " . $row["name"]. " - Email: " . $row["email"]. "<br>";
    }
} else {
    echo "0 results";
}

// Close database connection
$conn->close();