What are the benefits of using mysqli to interact with a database in PHP, especially for beginners?

Using mysqli to interact with a database in PHP is beneficial for beginners because it offers improved security features such as prepared statements to prevent SQL injection attacks. Additionally, mysqli provides object-oriented interface, making it easier to work with databases and execute queries. It also supports transactions, allowing for more complex database operations to be performed reliably.

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

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

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