PHP: Connecting PHP to MySQL using credentials from environment variables

This documentation is part of the Connect to MySQL guide. View the full guide here: Learn how to connect to MySQL from PHP using MySQLi and PDO.

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For enhanced security and easier configuration management, it is recommended that you avoid hardcoding your credentials in your source code. Instead, retrieve these settings from environment variables as shown below:

<?php

$hostname = getenv('STACKHERO_MYSQL_HOST');
$user = getenv('STACKHERO_MYSQL_USER');
$password = getenv('STACKHERO_MYSQL_PASSWORD');
$database = getenv('STACKHERO_MYSQL_USER'); // By convention, the database name matches the username

?>

Using environment variables helps maintain the security of your credentials and makes your configuration more adaptable across different environments.