What are the benefits of using prepared statements in PHP, and how can they enhance the security of database interactions compared to traditional SQL queries?
Using prepared statements in PHP can enhance the security of database interactions by preventing SQL injection attacks. Prepared statements separate SQL logic from data input, which allows the database to distinguish between code and data. This prevents malicious users from injecting SQL code into input fields, protecting the database from potential attacks.
// Using prepared statements to enhance security in PHP
$stmt = $pdo->prepare("SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = ?");
$stmt->execute([$username]);
$results = $stmt->fetchAll();