What are the advantages and disadvantages of using text files versus a database for storing and managing user-generated content in PHP?

When deciding between using text files or a database for storing and managing user-generated content in PHP, it's important to consider factors such as scalability, security, and ease of querying. Text files are simple to implement and can be sufficient for small-scale applications, but they may not be as efficient for large amounts of data or complex queries. Databases offer better organization, indexing, and security features, but require more setup and maintenance.

// Example of storing user-generated content in a text file
$content = "User-generated content here";
file_put_contents('user_content.txt', $content, FILE_APPEND);

// Example of storing user-generated content in a database
$mysqli = new mysqli("localhost", "username", "password", "database");
$content = "User-generated content here";
$stmt = $mysqli->prepare("INSERT INTO user_content (content) VALUES (?)");
$stmt->bind_param("s", $content);
$stmt->execute();
$stmt->close();
$mysqli->close();