What are the similarities and differences between RECORD data structures in PHP and data records in a database?

The similarities between RECORD data structures in PHP and data records in a database are that they both store structured data in a format that can be easily accessed and manipulated. However, the main difference is that RECORD data structures in PHP are typically used within the code itself to store temporary data, while data records in a database are used to store persistent data that can be queried and updated over time.

// Example of using a RECORD data structure in PHP
$person = [
    'name' => 'John Doe',
    'age' => 30,
    'email' => 'john.doe@example.com'
];

echo $person['name']; // Output: John Doe

// Example of querying data records in a database
$query = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = 1";
$result = mysqli_query($connection, $query);
$user = mysqli_fetch_assoc($result);

echo $user['name']; // Output: John Doe