Choosing between MySql, MySqli and PDO

Which API should I choose to connect to a MySql Database?

Choosing between MySql API depends on what do you really need.

So which one should you really choose?

Below is a table that shows comparisons of each API.

	MySqli	PDO	MySql
PHP version introduced	5.0	5.1	2.0
Included with PHP 5.x	Yes	Yes	Yes
Included with PHP 7.x	Yes	Yes	No
Development status	Active	Active	Maintained in 5.x; Removed in 7.x
Lifecycle	Active	Active	Deprecated in 5.x; Removed in 7.x
Recommended for new projects	Yes	Yes	No
OOP Interface	Yes	Yes	No
Procedural Interface	Yes	No	Yes
API supports non-blocking, asynchronous queries with mysqlnd	Yes	No	No
Persistent Connections	Yes	Yes	Yes
API supports Charsets	Yes	Yes	Yes
API supports server-side Prepared Statements	Yes	Yes	No
API supports client-side Prepared Statements	No	Yes	No
API supports Stored Procedures	Yes	Yes	No
API supports Multiple Statements	Yes	Most	No
API supports Transactions	Yes	Yes	No
Transactions can be controlled with SQL	Yes	Yes	Yes
Supports all MySQL 5.1+ functionality	Yes	Most	No

It's obvious that you should not use MySql as it is already deprecated.

Still can't choose between the API's?

Below is what i can say for each API's.

MySql
- Not Recommended. Already deprecated. Do not Use this.
- It's already the year 2020.. Please choose the other 2. :D
MySqli
- Can do asynchronous request to Database. Execute 2 or more queries without each one blocking each other.
- More complex and easier code syntax. Easier to learn.
PDO
- Better Error Handling.
- Better Parameter Binding.
- Can also be used in other Databases other than MySql. Ex. MsSql, Oracle, PostreSQL, etc...

It is highly recommended to use MySqli or PDO

Of course both MySqli and PDO are already objects but you might need to create wrappers for easier access.

php mysql mysqli pdo

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