What are the best practices for handling complex queries involving multiple tables in PHP?

When handling complex queries involving multiple tables in PHP, it is important to use proper SQL joins to fetch data efficiently. It is recommended to break down the query into smaller, manageable parts and use aliases for table names to avoid confusion. Additionally, consider using prepared statements to prevent SQL injection attacks.

<?php
// Connect to the database
$pdo = new PDO('mysql:host=localhost;dbname=mydatabase', 'username', 'password');

// Prepare the SQL query with proper joins
$query = "SELECT users.name, orders.order_id, orders.total_price
          FROM users
          JOIN orders ON users.user_id = orders.user_id
          WHERE users.status = 'active'";

// Prepare and execute the query
$statement = $pdo->prepare($query);
$statement->execute();

// Fetch and display the results
while ($row = $statement->fetch(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC)) {
    echo $row['name'] . " - Order ID: " . $row['order_id'] . " - Total Price: " . $row['total_price'] . "<br>";
}
?>