What are the potential pitfalls of using text files instead of a database for storing data in a PHP project?

Potential pitfalls of using text files instead of a database for storing data in a PHP project include slower performance, limited querying capabilities, lack of data integrity checks, and potential security vulnerabilities. To mitigate these issues, consider using a database like MySQL or SQLite to store and manage your data. Databases offer better performance, support complex queries, provide data validation and integrity constraints, and have built-in security features.

// Example of connecting to a MySQL database in PHP
$servername = "localhost";
$username = "username";
$password = "password";
$dbname = "myDB";

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

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