What are the advantages of using parameterized queries over directly embedding values in SQL queries in PHP?

Parameterized queries in PHP offer several advantages over directly embedding values in SQL queries. 1. Security: Parameterized queries help prevent SQL injection attacks by automatically escaping special characters in user input. 2. Performance: Parameterized queries can be precompiled and reused, leading to better performance compared to dynamically constructed queries. 3. Readability: Parameterized queries separate the SQL logic from the data, making the code easier to read and maintain.

// Using parameterized queries in PHP to prevent SQL injection
$pdo = new PDO("mysql:host=localhost;dbname=myDB", "username", "password");

// Prepare a statement with a parameter placeholder
$stmt = $pdo->prepare("SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = :username");

// Bind the parameter value to the placeholder
$username = $_POST['username'];
$stmt->bindParam(':username', $username);

// Execute the query
$stmt->execute();

// Fetch the results
$results = $stmt->fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);