What are the common mistakes when trying to insert data into a MySQL table using PHP?

Common mistakes when trying to insert data into a MySQL table using PHP include not properly sanitizing user input, not connecting to the database correctly, and not using prepared statements to prevent SQL injection attacks. To solve these issues, always sanitize user input using functions like mysqli_real_escape_string, ensure you have a successful database connection before attempting to insert data, and use prepared statements to securely insert data into the database.

<?php
// Establish a connection to the database
$connection = mysqli_connect("localhost", "username", "password", "database");

// Check if the connection is successful
if (!$connection) {
    die("Connection failed: " . mysqli_connect_error());
}

// Sanitize user input
$name = mysqli_real_escape_string($connection, $_POST['name']);
$email = mysqli_real_escape_string($connection, $_POST['email']);

// Prepare and execute the SQL query using prepared statements
$sql = "INSERT INTO users (name, email) VALUES (?, ?)";
$stmt = mysqli_prepare($connection, $sql);
mysqli_stmt_bind_param($stmt, "ss", $name, $email);
mysqli_stmt_execute($stmt);

// Close the statement and connection
mysqli_stmt_close($stmt);
mysqli_close($connection);
?>