Why is it recommended to use mysqli_set_charset() instead of SET NAMES for changing character sets in PHP, according to the PHP manual and forum advice?

It is recommended to use mysqli_set_charset() instead of SET NAMES for changing character sets in PHP because mysqli_set_charset() is specifically designed for setting the character set for the connection, while SET NAMES can have unexpected behavior in certain situations. Using mysqli_set_charset() ensures that the character set is properly set for the connection, reducing the risk of character encoding issues. 

<?php
$mysqli = new mysqli("localhost", "username", "password", "database");

if ($mysqli->connect_error) {
    die("Connection failed: " . $mysqli->connect_error);
}

if (!$mysqli->set_charset("utf8")) {
    die("Error loading character set utf8: " . $mysqli->error);
}

// Now the character set is properly set for the connection
?>

Keywords

mysqli_set_charset SET NAMES character sets PHP manual forum advice

Related Questions