{"id":22611,"date":"2025-09-20T05:07:40","date_gmt":"2025-09-20T04:07:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/blog\/que-es-pdo-en-php-y-como-funciona\/"},"modified":"2025-09-21T21:00:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-21T20:00:14","slug":"que-es-pdo-en-php-y-como-funciona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/blog\/what-is-pdo-in-php-and-how-does-it-work\/","title":{"rendered":"What is PDO in PHP and how does it work?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In the world of web development with PHP, it is common to come across the term PDO. But what does PDO really mean and how does it work?<\/p>\n<p>PDO, or PHP Data Objects, is a PHP extension that provides a lightweight and consistent interface for accessing databases from a PHP application. Simply put, PDO is a database abstraction layer that allows developers to interact with different database engines in a uniform way.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #ffffff;color:#ffffff\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #ffffff;color:#ffffff\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseprofile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/blog\/what-is-pdo-in-php-and-how-does-it-work\/#%C2%BFPor_que_utilizar_PDO_en_PHP\" >Why use PDO in PHP?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/blog\/what-is-pdo-in-php-and-how-does-it-work\/#%C2%BFComo_funciona_PDO_en_PHP\" >How does PDO work in PHP?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/blog\/what-is-pdo-in-php-and-how-does-it-work\/#Paso_1_Establecer_la_conexion\" >Step 1: Establish the connection<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/blog\/what-is-pdo-in-php-and-how-does-it-work\/#Paso_2_Preparar_y_ejecutar_consultas\" >Step 2: Prepare and run queries<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/blog\/what-is-pdo-in-php-and-how-does-it-work\/#Paso_3_Obtener_los_resultados\" >Step 3: Get the results<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/blog\/what-is-pdo-in-php-and-how-does-it-work\/#Paso_4_Cerrar_la_conexion\" >Step 4: Close the connection<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/blog\/what-is-pdo-in-php-and-how-does-it-work\/#Preguntas_frecuentes\" >Frequently asked questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/blog\/what-is-pdo-in-php-and-how-does-it-work\/#%C2%BFEn_que_versiones_de_PHP_se_encuentra_disponible_PDO\" >In what versions of PHP is PDO available?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/blog\/what-is-pdo-in-php-and-how-does-it-work\/#%C2%BFCual_es_la_diferencia_entre_PDO_y_la_extension_mysqli\" >What is the difference between PDO and mysqli extension?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/blog\/what-is-pdo-in-php-and-how-does-it-work\/#%C2%BFEs_seguro_utilizar_PDO_para_prevenir_inyecciones_SQL\" >Is it safe to use PDO to prevent SQL injections?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/blog\/what-is-pdo-in-php-and-how-does-it-work\/#%C2%BFEs_posible_utilizar_PDO_con_bases_de_datos_NoSQL\" >Is it possible to use PDO with NoSQL databases?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%C2%BFPor_que_utilizar_PDO_en_PHP\"><\/span>Why use PDO in PHP?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are several reasons why it is advisable to use PDO in PHP:<\/p>\n<p>1. <strong>Portability<\/strong>: PDO offers the possibility of connecting to different database engines, such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, among others. This is especially useful if you are developing an application that may need to be migrated to another database engine in the future.<\/p>\n<p>2. <strong>Consultation preparation<\/strong>- PDO enables the preparation of SQL queries, which helps prevent SQL injections and improves application security.<\/p>\n<p>3. <strong>Using transactions<\/strong>: PDO facilitates the use of transactions in databases, allowing multiple operations to be grouped into a single transaction and ensuring data integrity.<\/p>\n<p>4. <strong>Support for different programming styles<\/strong>: PDO offers support for different programming styles, such as the use of objects or the use of associative arrays, allowing it to be adapted to the developer&#039;s preferences.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%C2%BFComo_funciona_PDO_en_PHP\"><\/span>How does PDO work in PHP?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To use PDO in PHP, you need to follow these steps:<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Paso_1_Establecer_la_conexion\"><\/span>Step 1: Establish the connection<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>To establish a connection with the database, an instance of the PDO class must be created, passing the connection string and access credentials as parameters.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Paso_2_Preparar_y_ejecutar_consultas\"><\/span>Step 2: Prepare and run queries<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Once the connection is established, SQL queries can be prepared using the function <code>prepare()<\/code> and then execute them using the function <code>execute()<\/code>.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Paso_3_Obtener_los_resultados\"><\/span>Step 3: Get the results<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>After executing a query, the results can be obtained using different methods provided by PDO, such as <code>fetchAll()<\/code> to get all the results, or <code>fetch()<\/code> to get only one result at a time.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Paso_4_Cerrar_la_conexion\"><\/span>Step 4: Close the connection<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Finally, it is important to close the connection with the database using the method <code>close()<\/code> to free resources and memory.<\/p>\n<p>In short, PDO is a powerful PHP extension that provides a simple and secure way to interact with databases from a PHP application. It provides portability, security, and flexibility, making it a popular choice for developers working with PHP and databases.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Preguntas_frecuentes\"><\/span>Frequently asked questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%C2%BFEn_que_versiones_de_PHP_se_encuentra_disponible_PDO\"><\/span>In what versions of PHP is PDO available?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>PDO is available in PHP 5 and all later versions.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%C2%BFCual_es_la_diferencia_entre_PDO_y_la_extension_mysqli\"><\/span>What is the difference between PDO and mysqli extension?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>PDO and the mysqli extension are two different ways of working with databases in PHP. Mysqli is specific to MySQL, while PDO is an abstraction layer that can work with different database engines.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%C2%BFEs_seguro_utilizar_PDO_para_prevenir_inyecciones_SQL\"><\/span>Is it safe to use PDO to prevent SQL injections?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes, using PDO prepared queries is a good practice to prevent SQL injections and improve the security of your applications.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%C2%BFEs_posible_utilizar_PDO_con_bases_de_datos_NoSQL\"><\/span>Is it possible to use PDO with NoSQL databases?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>No, PDO is designed to work with relational databases. If you need to connect to a NoSQL database, it is recommended to use the extensions specific to that database engine.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>En el mundo del desarrollo web con PHP, es com\u00fan encontrarse con el t\u00e9rmino PDO. Pero, \u00bfqu\u00e9 significa realmente PDO y c\u00f3mo funciona? PDO, o PHP Data Objects, es una extensi\u00f3n de PHP que proporciona una interfaz ligera y consistente para acceder a bases de datos desde una aplicaci\u00f3n PHP. En pocas palabras, PDO es [&hellip;]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22612,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[420],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22611","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22611"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22611\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22612"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nelkodev.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}