Why Is Closing MySQL Connections Important for Efficiency and Security?

Importance of Closing MySQL Connections

It is essential to close MySQL connections after they are no longer needed, both for efficiency and to prevent potential issues.

Documentation

According to the MySQL documentation, "The link to the server will be closed as soon as the execution of the script ends, unless it's closed earlier by explicitly calling mysql_close()." This implies that connections are automatically closed after the script completes execution.

Efficiency Considerations

If your script fetches a result set and performs significant processing afterwards, closing the connection is crucial. Leaving the connection open may lead to the MySQL server reaching its connection limit, especially under high server load. Closing the connection promptly frees up resources and allows the server to handle more requests.

Best Practices

Unless PHP handles connections differently when using fastcgi, it is recommended to explicitly close MySQL connections using mysql_close(). Additionally, consider using PDO (PHP Data Objects) for database interactions, which offers improved efficiency and security.

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