How to Insert Data into a MySQL Database using PHP

In this article, we will guide you through the steps of inserting data into a MySQL database using PHP. With the use of PHP and MySQL, it is possible to build dynamic, interactive websites and web applications.

Prerequisites

Before we start, there are a few prerequisites that you should have in place:

• A web server with PHP installed
• A MySQL database
• Access to the PHPMyAdmin interface or similar database management tool

Establishing a Connection

The first step in inserting data into a database using PHP is to establish a connection to the database. This is done by using the mysqli_connect() function, which requires the following parameters:

• The name of the database server
• The username used to access the database
• The password for the database user
• The name of the database to connect to

Here is an example of how to establish a connection to a database:

<?php

$server = "localhost";
$username = "root";
$password = "password";
$database = "database_name";

$conn = mysqli_connect($server, $username, $password, $database);

if (!$conn) {
    die("Connection failed: " . mysqli_connect_error());
}
echo "Connected successfully";

?>

Writing the SQL Statement

Once a connection to the database has been established, the next step is to write the SQL statement that will be used to insert the data into the database.

Here is an example of a SQL statement that inserts data into a database table:

INSERT INTO table_name (column1, column2, column3)
VALUES ('value1', 'value2', 'value3');

Executing the SQL Statement

Once the SQL statement has been written, the next step is to execute it. This is done by using the mysqli_query() function, which requires the following parameters:

• The connection to the database
• The SQL statement to be executed

Here is an example of how to execute the SQL statement:

<?php
$sql = "INSERT INTO table_name (column1, column2, column3)
VALUES ('value1', 'value2', 'value3')";

if (mysqli_query($conn, $sql)) {
    echo "New record created successfully";
} else {
    echo "Error: " . $sql . "<br>" . mysqli_error($conn);
}
?>

Closing the Connection

Once the data has been inserted into the database, it is important to close the connection to the database. This is done using the mysqli_close() function, which requires the following parameter:

• The connection to the database

Here is an example of how to close the connection to the database:

<?php

mysqli_close($conn);

?>

Conclusion

In this article, we have shown you how to insert data into a MySQL database using PHP. By following these steps, you should be able to insert data into your database with ease. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to ask.