To Close or Not to Close? The Significance of MySQL Connections in PHP

Significance of Closing MySQL Connections

Is it imperative to manually close MySQL connections, or does the connection automatically terminate when the PHP script concludes?

In-Depth Examination

According to 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()."

Closing the connection remains essential for scripts that execute substantial post-processing after retrieving the results. If the connection is left open, the MySQL server may exhaust its connection limit during peak website traffic. Explicitly closing the MySQL connection ensures reliability, even if it's technically unnecessary.

FastCGI Considerations

The impact of FastCGI on connection handling remains unclear. Some sources suggest that FastCGI-enabled PHP builds establish persistent connections, which contradicts the documentation's claim that connections close when the process ends. For prudence, it's advisable to employ mysql_close() or, preferably, PDO if available.

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