What are the best ways to learn mySQLi programming?

1 Understand the basics

Before you dive into mySQLi programming, you should have a solid grasp of the fundamentals of PHP and SQL. PHP is the scripting language that enables you to communicate with the database, and SQL is the language that allows you to manipulate the data. You should know how to write basic PHP syntax, variables, operators, control structures, functions, and arrays. You should also know how to write basic SQL statements, such as SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, JOIN, and WHERE. These are the building blocks of mySQLi programming, and you will use them frequently.

2 Choose an interface

mySQLi offers two ways to interact with the database: the object-oriented interface and the procedural interface. The object-oriented interface uses classes and objects to perform database operations, while the procedural interface uses functions and parameters. Both interfaces have the same functionality, but they have different syntax and style. You should choose the interface that suits your preference and coding habits, and stick to it consistently. You can also mix both interfaces, but this can make your code less readable and maintainable.

3 Use prepared statements

One of the most important features of mySQLi is the ability to use prepared statements, which are pre-compiled SQL queries that can be executed multiple times with different values. Prepared statements are more secure, faster, and easier to use than concatenating strings and escaping variables. Prepared statements prevent SQL injection attacks, which are a common way of hacking databases by inserting malicious code into user input. To use prepared statements, you need to follow three steps: prepare the query with placeholders, bind the variables to the placeholders, and execute the query. For example:

// Prepare the query
$stmt = $mysqli->prepare("SELECT name, email FROM users WHERE id = ?");
// Bind the variable
$stmt->bind_param("i", $id);
// Execute the query
$stmt->execute();        

4 Handle errors and exceptions

Another advantage of mySQLi is that it provides various ways to handle errors and exceptions that may occur during database operations. Errors are problems that prevent the execution of a query, such as syntax errors, connection errors, or access denied errors. Exceptions are problems that occur after the execution of a query, such as duplicate entries, foreign key violations, or invalid data types. You should always check for errors and exceptions, and handle them appropriately. You can use the error and errno properties of the mySQLi object or the statement object to get the error message and code, and use the die or trigger_error functions to stop the script or display a custom message. You can also use the exception handling mechanism of PHP, which uses the try, catch, and finally blocks to catch and handle exceptions.

5 Learn advanced features

Once you master the basic and intermediate aspects of mySQLi programming, you can explore some of the advanced features that can enhance your database applications. For example, you can use transactions to perform multiple queries as a single unit of work, and commit or rollback the changes depending on the outcome. You can also use stored procedures, which are pre-defined SQL statements that can be called from the database server, and reduce the network traffic and code duplication. You can also use mysqli_multi_query, which allows you to execute multiple queries with a single function call, and mysqli_fetch_all, which returns all the results of a query in an array.

mySQLi is a powerful and versatile extension that can help you create dynamic and secure database applications in PHP. By following these tips, you can learn mySQLi programming effectively and efficiently, and take advantage of its features and benefits.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?