PHP Basics
Functions in PHP
Working with Forms
Working with Files
Working with Databases
Advanced PHP Techniques

Handling database errors in PHP is crucial for building robust applications. Here’s a guide to effectively manage these errors using PHP with both the ‘mysqli‘ and ‘PDO‘ extensions:

1. Understand Common Database Errors:

  • Connection Errors: Failures when establishing a connection to the database.
  • Syntax Errors: Issues in the SQL query syntax.
  • Constraint Violations: Violations of database constraints (e.g., unique, foreign key).
  • Timeouts: Operations taking too long to complete.
  • Deadlocks: Situations where two or more transactions are waiting for each other to release locks.

2. Error Handling Techniques:

  • Try-Catch Blocks: Use try-catch (or equivalent) to handle exceptions gracefully.
  • Retry Logic: Implement retry logic for transient errors like connection issues or timeouts.
  • Transaction Management: Ensure transactions are properly managed to maintain data integrity.
  • Logging: Log errors with sufficient detail to diagnose issues later.
  • Alerting: Set up alerts for critical database errors to respond quickly.

3. Best Practices:

  • Use ORM (Object-Relational Mapping): ORMs like Hibernate, SQLAlchemy, or Entity Framework can handle many database errors and transactions automatically.
  • Parameterized Queries: Use parameterized queries to avoid SQL injection and syntax errors.
  • Graceful Degradation: Design the application to continue functioning with limited functionality if the database is temporarily unavailable.
  • Connection Pooling: Use connection pooling to manage and reuse database connections efficiently.
  • Timeout Settings: Configure appropriate timeout settings for database connections and queries.
  • Test Error Scenarios: Regularly test how your application handles different database error scenarios.

'Using mysqli'

1. Establishing Connection:

				
					$servername = "localhost";
$username = "username";
$password = "password";
$dbname = "database";

$conn = new mysqli($servername, $username, $password, $dbname);

// Check connection
if ($conn->connect_error) {
    die("Connection failed: " . $conn->connect_error);
}

				
			

2. Handling Query Errors:

				
					$sql = "SELECT * FROM table_name";
$result = $conn->query($sql);

if (!$result) {
    echo "Error: " . $sql . "<br>" . $conn->error;
} else {
    // Process result
}

				
			

3. Prepared Statements:

				
					$stmt = $conn->prepare("INSERT INTO table_name (column1, column2) VALUES (?, ?)");
if (!$stmt) {
    echo "Prepare failed: (" . $conn->errno . ") " . $conn->error;
}

$stmt->bind_param("ss", $value1, $value2);

if (!$stmt->execute()) {
    echo "Execute failed: (" . $stmt->errno . ") " . $stmt->error;
}

				
			

4. Closing the Connection:

				
					$conn->close();

				
			

'Using PDO'

1. Establishing Connection:

				
					$dsn = 'mysql:host=localhost;dbname=database';
$username = 'username';
$password = 'password';

try {
    $pdo = new PDO($dsn, $username, $password);
    $pdo->setAttribute(PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE, PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION);
} catch (PDOException $e) {
    echo 'Connection failed: ' . $e->getMessage();
}

				
			

2. Handling Query Errors:

				
					try {
    $sql = 'SELECT * FROM table_name';
    $stmt = $pdo->query($sql);
} catch (PDOException $e) {
    echo 'Query failed: ' . $e->getMessage();
}

				
			

3. Prepared Statements:

				
					try {
    $stmt = $pdo->prepare('INSERT INTO table_name (column1, column2) VALUES (:value1, :value2)');
    $stmt->bindParam(':value1', $value1);
    $stmt->bindParam(':value2', $value2);
    $stmt->execute();
} catch (PDOException $e) {
    echo 'Query failed: ' . $e->getMessage();
}

				
			

4. Using Transactions:

				
					try {
    $pdo->beginTransaction();
    // Perform queries
    $pdo->commit();
} catch (PDOException $e) {
    $pdo->rollBack();
    echo 'Transaction failed: ' . $e->getMessage();
}

				
			

5. Closing the Connection:

				
					$pdo = null;

				
			

General Tips

  • Error Logging: Instead of displaying errors to users, log them to a file for later review.
  • Use Exceptions: Enable exceptions for better error handling and cleaner code.
  • Security: Avoid exposing detailed error messages to users. Generic error messages are safer.
  • Validation: Validate all input data before using it in database queries to prevent SQL injection.

By implementing these practices, you can create a more reliable and secure PHP application that gracefully handles database errors.

Scroll to Top