Why is it recommended to use Prepared Statements in PHP for database queries?

Using Prepared Statements in PHP for database queries is recommended because it helps prevent SQL injection attacks by separating SQL logic from user input. Prepared Statements also improve performance by allowing the database to optimize query execution. Additionally, Prepared Statements make the code more readable and maintainable.

// Using Prepared Statements in PHP
$stmt = $pdo->prepare("SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = :username");
$stmt->bindParam(':username', $username);
$stmt->execute();
$results = $stmt->fetchAll();