What is the significance of using backticks (`) in SQL queries in PHP?

Using backticks (`) in SQL queries in PHP is important because it allows you to escape reserved words or special characters in column names. This is especially crucial when dealing with dynamic column names or names that contain spaces or special characters. By enclosing column names in backticks, you ensure that the SQL query is properly parsed and executed without any errors.

// Example of using backticks in a SQL query
$column = "first name";
$sql = "SELECT `{$column}`, `last_name` FROM `users` WHERE `id` = 1";
$result = $conn->query($sql);