What best practices should be followed when updating database records in PHP to avoid unintended consequences like updating all records instead of just duplicates?

When updating database records in PHP, it is important to use a unique identifier or key to target only the specific records you want to update. This can prevent unintended consequences such as updating all records instead of just duplicates. By using a WHERE clause in your SQL query that specifies the unique identifier, you can ensure that only the intended records are updated. 

<?php

// Connect to database
$connection = new mysqli("localhost", "username", "password", "database");

// Update records with a specific unique identifier
$id = 123;
$newValue = "Updated value";

$sql = "UPDATE table_name SET column_name = '$newValue' WHERE id = $id";

if ($connection->query($sql) === TRUE) {
    echo "Record updated successfully";
} else {
    echo "Error updating record: " . $connection->error;
}

$connection->close();

?>

Keywords

SQL injection prepared statements PDO UPDATE query duplicate records

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