Older versions of PHP used the MySQL extension, which was deprecated in 2012. MySQLi and PDO offer more security and flexibility. If your application might need to switch databases in the future, use ...

MySQLi extension (the "i" stands for improved) PDO (PHP Data Objects) Earlier versions of PHP used the MySQL extension. However, this extension was deprecated in 2012. PDO will work on 12 different ...

How to Use PHP for MySQL to XML. An XML file displays rows and columns you retrieve from a MySQL database. Using PHP, you can export data from a database table to a Web form. PHP transforms the ...

This would be a good idea if you’re connecting to your MySQL from outside of your LAN. If you’re within your LAN, chances are you won’t need this option.