PHP VS Laravel Connection to Database Mysql

PHP vs Laravel: Connecting to a MySQL Database

When working with MySQL databases, developers often choose between plain PHP and Laravel. Let’s compare how both approaches handle database connections, queries, and efficiency.

1. Connecting to MySQL in Plain PHP

In traditional PHP, connecting to a MySQL database requires using mysqli or PDO (PHP Data Objects).

Using MySQLi (Procedural Style)

<?php
$servername = "localhost";
$username = "root";
$password = "";
$database = "test_db";

// Create connection
$conn = mysqli_connect($servername, $username, $password, $database);

// Check connection
if (!$conn) {
    die("Connection failed: " . mysqli_connect_error());
}
echo "Connected successfully";
?>

Using MySQLi (Object-Oriented Style)

<?php
$servername = "localhost";
$username = "root";
$password = "";
$database = "test_db";

// Create connection
$conn = new mysqli($servername, $username, $password, $database);

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

Using PDO (More Secure & Flexible)

<?php
$dsn = "mysql:host=localhost;dbname=test_db;charset=utf8mb4";
$username = "root";
$password = "";

try {
    $pdo = new PDO($dsn, $username, $password, [
        PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE => PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION,
        PDO::ATTR_DEFAULT_FETCH_MODE => PDO::FETCH_ASSOC
    ]);
    echo "Connected successfully";
} catch (PDOException $e) {
    die("Connection failed: " . $e->getMessage());
}
?>

Downsides of Using Plain PHP

Requires manual handling of queries, security, and validation.
More boilerplate code for database interactions.
Lacks built-in query builder and ORM (Object-Relational Mapping).

2. Connecting to MySQL in Laravel

Laravel simplifies database connections using Eloquent ORM and a query builder.

Step 1: Configure Database in Laravel (.env file)

In Laravel, database configuration is stored in the .env file:

DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=test_db
DB_USERNAME=root
DB_PASSWORD=

Step 2: Use Eloquent to Interact with the Database

Laravel’s Eloquent ORM makes querying easier:

use App\Models\User;

$users = User::all(); // Get all users

Step 3: Query Using Query Builder

If you prefer not to use Eloquent, Laravel’s Query Builder allows SQL-like queries:

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB;

$users = DB::table('users')->get();

Advantages of Using Laravel

✅ Cleaner & more readable syntax
✅ Built-in security features (prevent SQL injection)
✅ Migrations for version control
✅ Easy scalability & maintainability

3. Key Differences Between PHP and Laravel

Feature	Plain PHP	Laravel
Setup Complexity	Simple but requires more manual work	Requires setup but streamlines development
Security	Needs manual validation (prone to SQL injection)	Built-in security features (CSRF, SQL injection protection)
Query Efficiency	Direct SQL queries	Uses ORM (Eloquent) for cleaner database interaction
Code Maintainability	Can become messy in large projects	Well-structured and maintainable
Performance	Faster for small applications	More features but is slightly heavier

Conclusion

If you’re building a small, simple project, plain PHP might work fine. However, Laravel is the better choice for larger applications due to its security, efficiency, and maintainability.

Souy Soeng