What is the difference between prepared and parameterized statements?

Can you explain the difference between prepared and parameterized statements?

Sure! Prepared statements are precompiled SQL statements that can be executed multiple times with different parameters. Parameterized statements, on the other hand, are a way to pass parameters to SQL queries to prevent SQL injection.

Why should I use prepared statements over regular SQL queries?

Using prepared statements improves performance and security. They reduce the risk of SQL injection attacks and can be more efficient for repeated execution.

Are parameterized statements always safe?

While parameterized statements greatly reduce the risk of SQL injection, it's essential to ensure that all user inputs are properly validated and sanitized.

Can you give me an example of each?

Certainly! A prepared statement example in PHP would be using PDO with a query like PREPARE 'SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = ?'. A parameterized statement would look like SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = :id where :id is a placeholder for the actual value.