What are the potential pitfalls of using the original mysql extension in PHP, and why should developers consider switching to MySQLi or PDO?

The original mysql extension in PHP is deprecated and no longer maintained, making it vulnerable to security risks and compatibility issues with newer versions of MySQL. Developers should consider switching to MySQLi or PDO for improved security, performance, and support for modern database features.

// Using MySQLi
$mysqli = new mysqli("localhost", "username", "password", "database");
if ($mysqli->connect_error) {
    die("Connection failed: " . $mysqli->connect_error);
}

// Using PDO
$pdo = new PDO("mysql:host=localhost;dbname=database", "username", "password");
$pdo->setAttribute(PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE, PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION);