What best practices should be followed when updating PHP-based platforms like Gambio to ensure compatibility with newer PHP versions and extensions like MySQLi?

When updating PHP-based platforms like Gambio to ensure compatibility with newer PHP versions and extensions like MySQLi, it is important to follow best practices such as checking for deprecated functions, updating code syntax, and ensuring compatibility with the latest MySQLi extension. This can involve updating database queries to use prepared statements, replacing mysql functions with mysqli equivalents, and testing the platform thoroughly after the update to catch any compatibility issues.

// Example of updating database queries to use prepared statements with MySQLi

// Original query using mysql functions
$query = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = $user_id";
$result = mysql_query($query);

// Updated query using prepared statements with MySQLi
$stmt = $mysqli->prepare("SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = ?");
$stmt->bind_param("i", $user_id);
$stmt->execute();
$result = $stmt->get_result();