What is the difference between prepared statements and parameterized queries?

What is the difference between prepared statements and parameterized queries?

Prepared statements are precompiled SQL statements that can be executed multiple times with different parameters. Parameterized queries, on the other hand, are a way to pass parameters to SQL queries to prevent SQL injection, but they may not always be precompiled.

Can you give me an example of each?

Sure! A prepared statement in PHP might look like this: $stmt = $pdo->prepare('SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = ?');. A parameterized query would be: SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = :id, where :id is a placeholder for the actual value.

Which one is more secure?

Both are secure when used correctly, but prepared statements are generally considered safer because they are precompiled and reduce the risk of SQL injection.

When should I use one over the other?

Use prepared statements when you need to execute the same query multiple times with different parameters. Use parameterized queries for single executions where you want to ensure safety against SQL injection.