Prepared Statements

Prepared statements are a way for computer programs to securely run database queries. Instead of writing the full query each time, the program creates a template with placeholders for specific data. This template is sent to the database once, and then individual data values are provided later. This approach improves performance by reducing repeated parsing, and enhances security by preventing malicious inputs, such as SQL injection attacks. Essentially, prepared statements separate the query structure from the data, making database interactions more efficient and safer.