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PHP Easy Tutorial to Database Connections using a PDO class

Name: PHP Easy Tutorial to Database Connections using a PDO class
Rating: 4.7 (65 reviews)

What is PDO? A PHP class with functions to make safer database connections.

Created byTony de Araujo

Last updated 12/2023

English

What you'll learn

UNDERSTAND what VANILLA PDO functions already do and stop using legacy code that is confusing you.
Gain a SOLID FOUNDATION to take other courses involving PHP and database connections.
Learn how to practice new code concepts in the world of code automation
The minimalist presentation facilitates your reviewing over time

Course content

9 sections • 53 lectures • 2h 9m total length

How to do the exercises (use 1.25x speed)1:41
The spiral approach is a technique often used in teaching or textbooks where first the basic facts of a subject are learned, without worrying about details. Then as learning progresses, more and more details are introduced, while at the same time they are related to the basics which are reemphasized many times to help enter them into long-term memory. Last edit: September 2019.
What is PDO? (use 1.25x speed)1:53
The PDO API needs a specific driver to communicate with a database. Each database system has its own PDO driver to communicate with PHP. Last edit: September 2019.
About your development environment0:29
You can use any PHP development environment you may already have. In his demonstrations, the author uses XAMPP with PHP 7.3, along with the Visual Code editor.
Alternative database creation using the terminal1:34
Creating a database with phpMyAdmin4:34
This video shows you how to create a database using phpMyAdmin. The purpose of this database is to have data for testing the PHP 7 script exercises. You may skip this video if you already know how to create a database. You will need a database with 1 table and at least 2 rows with a title and a content column.
Practicing exercise 1 - New database0:23
This is an optional practicing exercise.

Making a database connection using PDO5:22
NOTE: If you are using XAMPP, please write your PHP code inside of the htdocs folder. Create your project folder and then open the folder with your favorite code editor.
In this video, you will see how to create a basic PHP connection to a database using PDO. This is a hands on exercise but it could also be used for reviewing concepts.
Using individual variables to hold credential values4:41
In this lecture we move all database credential values to separate variables.
Practicing exercise 2 – Connecting to the blogs database0:41
This is an optional practicing exercise. The result follows on the next session.
Result for exercise 20:18
Code for connection to the MySQL database blogs.
Using a try catch statement to handle PDO connection errors8:05
When creating a PDO connection instance you may not want a connection error bubble up to a site-wide handler. This video shows you how to create a try catch statement to catch a possible connection error and control the outcome as you may wish.
Discussed code and resources0:14
This is a document containing a sample of the discussed script for your review. Links to related resources are included. Content may be updated at times. Please check periodically.

Creating a new database connection3:38
In this project, we are going to read values from the database. This exercise reviews and creates a new file for connecting to the database. Alternatively, you can copy the code from the last project.
Note about the next video0:42
The two PDO methods for querying a database9:41
In this exercise, we discuss one of two ways for querying a database using the PDO class.
Extracting data from the POD Statement5:23
Using the fetch method to access database records. Looping items to screen. Error handling.
Discussed code and resources0:56
Final code configuration for the previous exercise
Converting special characters to HTML entities3:14
This lecture discusses the problem of HTML entities arriving at the browser from a database, and how to make sure the browser does not convert them into HTML tags.
Review - Things to know0:51
Final code configuration for the previous exercise
Moving SQL statements to variables1:52
This exercise shows how to assign an SQL statement to a variable and then use the variable as the query argument. It also makes a brief introduction to the Prepare and Execute functions.
Discussed code and resources0:24
Final code configuration for the previous exercise

Creating a new connection for prepared statements1:55
In this exercise, we are going to create a new file with a new connection for upcoming lectures.
Stage 1: Preparing the query3:42
How to create a query-template by using a placeholder instead of an ID value. This is the first part of using PHP 7 Prepared Statements.
Stage 2: Executing the query - rowCount7:36
How to execute a PDO Prepared Statement. Introduction to rowCount.
Discussed code and resources0:35
Final code configuration for the previous exercise
Named placeholders1:46
Learn how to build named placeholders in PHP 7 PDO
Submitting the execute function without any arguments. Running multiple queries3:51
How to replace the Query function for a combination of Prepare & Execute. Run multiple Executes.
Discussed code and resources0:38
Final code configuration for the previous exercise

Create a new connection file named dbinsert4:41
This is a review lecture. Here, a new file called dbinsert.php will be created. You may skip this video if you are using the same file for all exercises.
Initial Code0:10
Exercise initial code configuration
Inserting a new record with Prepared Statements4:08
This video covers how to add an INSERT statement to the prepare function, and then execute the real data. In the end, we will have a new record in the database. The function bindValue is also introduced but not used.
Discussed code and resources0:20
Exercise final code configuration
Displaying the number of affected rows2:15
In this exercise we see how to display the number of affected rows by using the method rowCount.
Displaying content from the last inserted id4:37
How to fetch the last inserted ID and display the contents on screen.
Preparing output with HTML entities0:29
Adding HTML entities to prevent browser misinterpretation
Discussed code and resources0:24
Exercise final code configuration

Including a single database credential for multiples files3:40
How to include database credentials on multiple files
Hiding a folder from the browser using htaccess2:39
How to add an htaccess file to make a folder invisible from the browser
Resources for this section0:08
Fetch arguments4:14
Difference between fetch with no arguments versus adding PDO::FETCH_ASSOC
Final code and resources0:14
Enabling or disabling emulation of prepared statements (part 1)3:31
Prepared Statements Emulation; When to use and when not to use
Initial code0:25
Enabling or disabling emulation of prepared statements (part 2)6:46
How to disable Prepared Statements Emulation and how to use bindValue.
Final code and resources0:23
Bibliography0:49

Requirements

Access to the Internet
Familiarity with basic PHP syntax such as variables, functions and loops
Some knowledge of HTML is helpful
Having a PHP environment setup such as XAMPP if you want to code along
The code used in this course is compatible with PHP 7.4 through the latest PHP 8.2.

Description

Why is PDO important?

PDO provides a data-access abstraction layer in PHP, which means that, regardless of what database you're using, you write the same functions to issue queries and fetch data. It's that simple! However, you still need to set a database-specific PDO driver in your php.ini to access the correct database server.

How is this course different?

This is a hands-on project; no fluff or history lessons that you can always search if you're interested.

This updated course was originally written in 2019 using PHP 7.3,
but it has been reviewed in 2024 using PHP 8.2 to assure its integrity.

Each section starts with independent code after a brief review of concepts.
Wash, Rinse, and Repeat.

Upon completion of this project, you should be able to:

Summarize and remember the steps involved in using PHP to accomplish a basic database connection and CRUD.
Have a solid foundation to take other courses involving PHP and database connections, like using Symfony components, for example.
Your PDO training starts here.

The purpose of this short course is to empower you by giving you the basics before you tackle a framework where everything is more abstract. It's a short study project designed to go slow by repeating core exercises.

Why PHP?

In 2025, PHP still powers 76% of websites around the world. PHP has evolved into a powerful, object oriented language. We are not in 2005 anymore. The job market is wide open for good PHP developers that take time to study fundamentals.

This project informs and teaches; and that is great for reviewing concepts as well.

Add it to your collection of periodic drills you must do to stay current with the basics.

Subscribe today, even if you want to start at a later date.

Who this course is for:

Students of other PHP courses who may still want further explanation on using PDO
Beginner PHP developers with some previous knowledge of syntax
Intermediate web developers wanting to learn more about the PHP 7 PDO class
Database SQL users who want to learn how to connect by using modern PHP techniques
Researchers who are interested in PHP database connectivity
Anyone who wants to know how to connect a MYSQL database to HTML

PHP Easy Tutorial to Database Connections using a PDO class

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Create a MySQL database for testing6 lectures • 11min

Connect to a database using the PHP PDO class6 lectures • 19min

Basic database querying and browser displaying using PHP9 lectures • 27min

Prepare and execute a MySQL Statement using a PHP PDO object7 lectures • 20min

The insert into statement8 lectures • 17min

The SQL update statement via a PDO object3 lectures • 7min

The delete statement3 lectures • 6min

Odds & ends10 lectures • 23min

Thank you1 lecture • 1min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: