What are the benefits of storing data in a database rather than using cookies for a PHP application?

Storing data in a database rather than using cookies for a PHP application provides better security, scalability, and flexibility. Databases allow for structured storage of data, making it easier to query and manipulate. Additionally, databases can handle larger amounts of data more efficiently than cookies.

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

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

// Store data in the database
$data = "example data";
$sql = "INSERT INTO table_name (column_name) VALUES ('$data')";

if ($conn->query($sql) === TRUE) {
    echo "Data stored successfully";
} else {
    echo "Error: " . $sql . "<br>" . $conn->error;
}

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