What best practices should be followed when handling SQL updates in PHP to avoid potential bugs or errors?

When handling SQL updates in PHP, it is important to use prepared statements to prevent SQL injection attacks and ensure data integrity. Additionally, always validate user input before executing the update query to avoid potential errors or bugs.

// Sample PHP code snippet demonstrating best practices for handling SQL updates

// Assuming $conn is the database connection object

// Validate user input
$id = $_POST['id'];
$name = $_POST['name'];

// Prepare update query using prepared statements
$stmt = $conn->prepare("UPDATE table_name SET name = ? WHERE id = ?");
$stmt->bind_param("si", $name, $id);

// Execute the update query
$stmt->execute();

// Close the statement and connection
$stmt->close();
$conn->close();