This chapter introduced two new database extensions in PHP 5: mysqli and sqlite. It also presents PEAR DB, which is the most popular database abstraction layer for PHP. In this chapter, you learned:
Some of the strengths and weaknesses of mysql versus sqlite
When it makes sense to use a database abstraction layer
How to connect to databases using mysqli, sqlite, or DB
Executing queries and fetching results with mysqli, sqlite, or DB
Executing prepared queries with mysqli and DB
The difference between buffered and unbuffered queries
Various ways of fetching data from queries
Database error handling
Using triggers and user-defined functions with sqlite