mysqliquery

mysqli_query is a function in PHP used to execute SQL queries against a MySQL database. It is part of the MySQL Improved extension, commonly referred to as mysqli, which provides an interface for interacting with MySQL databases. This function allows developers to send SQL statements to a MySQL server and retrieve the resulting data.

The basic syntax of mysqli_query is as follows:

`mysqli_query(connection, query, result_type)`. The first parameter is a MySQLi connection object established using mysqli_connect or mysqli_init. The second parameter is the SQL query to be executed, which can be a SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, or other valid SQL statement. The third parameter, result_type, is optional and specifies how the result should be handled, typically set to MYSQLI_STORE_RESULT for SELECT queries.

For SELECT queries, mysqli_query returns a result set object that can be traversed using functions like mysqli_fetch_assoc, mysqli_fetch_array, or mysqli_fetch_row. For non-SELECT queries (such as INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE), it returns true on success or false on failure. Error handling can be performed using mysqli_error or mysqli_errno to diagnose issues.

While mysqli_query is widely used, it is considered less secure than prepared statements due to its susceptibility to SQL injection attacks. Prepared statements, available through mysqli_prepare, offer a safer alternative by separating SQL logic from data, reducing the risk of injection vulnerabilities.

The mysqli extension is part of PHP's standard library and is enabled by default in most installations. It is designed to be more efficient and feature-rich than the older mysql extension, which is now deprecated. Developers should refer to the PHP documentation for specific usage examples and best practices when working with mysqli_query.