Do Colons Matter in PDO Named Parameters?

PDO Prepared Statement - Use of Colons in Parameter Name

Question

In PDO, some developers use colons (:) before parameter names in named parameters, while others omit them. Although both approaches work, there is confusion regarding the significance of using colons.

TL;DR

Colons are required in the SQL string but optional when executing the statement or binding parameters.

Explanation

When preparing the statement (SQL string):

• Colons (:) must be used before parameter names to prevent ambiguity between column names and parameter names. Example: INSERT INTO Table1 (column1, column2) VALUES (:column1, :column2)

When executing the statement or binding parameters:

• Colons (:) are optional. PHP will automatically add a colon if it is omitted. Example: $insertRecord->execute(['column1' => $column1, 'column2' => $column2]);

PHP Source Code Analysis

An examination of the PHP source code reveals the following behavior:

• In pdo_sql_parser.c, only the first character of a parameter name can be a colon.
• In pdo_stmt.c, if a parameter name in bindParam() or execute() does not start with ':', a colon is automatically added.

Best Practices

Although using colons is not technically required, it is recommended for consistency, readability, and ease of searching in IDEs.

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