What is the correct syntax for using mysql_query in PHP and how does it differ from mysqli_query?

The correct syntax for using mysql_query in PHP is to pass the SQL query as a string parameter to the function. However, it is important to note that mysql_query is deprecated as of PHP 5.5.0 and removed in PHP 7.0.0. The preferred method is to use mysqli_query which provides improved security features and supports prepared statements.

// Using mysqli_query
$connection = mysqli_connect("localhost", "username", "password", "database");
$query = "SELECT * FROM table";
$result = mysqli_query($connection, $query);

// Check if query was successful
if($result){
    // Process the result
} else {
    echo "Error: " . mysqli_error($connection);
}

// Close the connection
mysqli_close($connection);