How to Insert Form Data into Database using PHP ?
Last Updated :
28 Jun, 2025
Inserting form data into a MySQL database using PHP allows web applications to store user inputs like registrations or feedback. By collecting and validating the data from HTML forms, PHP securely inserts it into the database, ensuring data integrity and protection against security risks.
Here, we will see the complete process of inserting form data into a MySQL database using PHP, from setting up the database to writing secure and efficient code.
Requirements
Before you begin, ensure you have the following tools ready:
An HTML form is used to collect information from users on a website. It helps store data like usernames, passwords, contact numbers, and emails on a web server using interactive elements.
We use the HTML <Form> Tag to create forms on our website. Below is the syntax:
<form> Form Elements... </form>
Note: To pass the values to the next page, we use the page name with the following syntax. We can use either the GET or POST method to send data to the server.
<form action=other_page.php method= POST/GET>
Form Elements...
</form>Note: In PHP, we can connect to the database using the localhost XAMPP web server. XAMPP stands for cross-platform, Apache, MySQL, PHP, and Perl. It is among the simple, lightweight, local servers for website development.
Step 1: Start the XAMPP Server
- Open the XAMPP Control Panel.
- Start Apache (for PHP) and MySQL (for database).
Step 2: Create the Database
- Open
localhost/phpmyadmin in your web browser. - Create a new database and name it staff then click Create.
Step 3: Create the Table
- In the staff database, create a new table named college.
- Add columns to the table (e.g.,
first_name, last_name, gender, email), then click Save.
Step 4: Establish a Database Connection in PHP
- The database connection allows your PHP code to interact with MySQL, enabling data storage and retrieval.
- It refers to connecting your PHP code to a database so you can save and get data. This lets your website store things like user information and display it when needed.
This is the PHP code to establish a connection with a MySQL database.
PHP
<?php
$servername = "localhost";
$username = "root";
$password = "";
$dbname = "staff";
// Create connection
$conn = new mysqli($servername, $username, $password, $dbname);
// Check connection
if ($conn->connect_error) {
die("Connection failed: " . $conn->connect_error);
}
?>
Step 5: Create PHP Files
- Open a text editor (e.g., Notepad) and create two PHP files.
- index.php (for the form)
- insert.php (to insert form data into the database)
Step 6: Write the PHP Code to Insert Data
Here’s the code for the form and the code to insert data into the database:
HTML Form (index.php):
HTML
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Insert Page</title>
</head>
<body>
<center>
<h2>Storing Form Data in Database</h2>
<form action="insert.php" method="POST">
<!-- First Name input -->
First Name:
<input name="first_name" required type="text"/>
<br/><br/>
<!-- Last Name input -->
Last Name:
<input name="last_name" required type="text"/>
<br/><br/>
<!-- Gender selection -->
Gender:
<input name="gender" required type="radio" value="male"/> Male
<input name="gender" required type="radio" value="female"/> Female
<br/><br/>
<!-- Address input -->
Address:
<textarea name="address" required></textarea>
<br/><br/>
<!-- Email input -->
Email:
<input name="email" required type="email"/>
<br/><br/>
<!-- Submit button -->
<input type="submit" value="Submit"/>
</form>
</center>
</body>
</html>
PHP Code to Insert Data into the Database (insert.php):
PHP
<?php
$servername = "localhost";
$username = "root";
$password = "";
$dbname = "staff";
// Create connection
$conn = new mysqli($servername, $username, $password, $dbname);
// Check connection
if ($conn->connect_error) {
die("Connection failed: " . $conn->connect_error);
}
// Collect and sanitize form data
$first_name = mysqli_real_escape_string($conn, $_POST['first_name']);
$last_name = mysqli_real_escape_string($conn, $_POST['last_name']);
$gender = mysqli_real_escape_string($conn, $_POST['gender']);
$address = mysqli_real_escape_string($conn, $_POST['address']);
$email = mysqli_real_escape_string($conn, $_POST['email']);
// Insert data into database
$sql = "INSERT INTO college (first_name, last_name, gender, address, email)
VALUES ('$first_name', '$last_name', '$gender', '$address', '$email')";
if ($conn->query($sql) === TRUE) {
echo "New record created successfully";
} else {
echo "Error: " . $sql . "<br>" . $conn->error;
}
// Close the connection
$conn->close();
?>
Note: Type localhost/7058/index.php in your browser, it will display the form. After submitting the form, the form data is submitted into database.
Enter Data into the form like First Name, Last Name, Gender, Email Address, and Email Address.
Data stored in the client-side Database Successfully.
Validate Your Form Submission in phpMyAdmin
Storing User Input into a MySQL database using PHP is a foundational step in developing dynamic and data-driven web applications.
Important Points You Need To Keep In Mind
- Use HTML
<form> elements to collect user data and submit it to PHP for processing. - Use PHP’s
mysqli_connect() or PDO to establish a connection with the MySQL database. - Sanitize form input and use SQL queries (preferably prepared statements) to insert data into the database.
- Check for connection or query errors and display appropriate messages to the user.
Conclusion
Inserting form data into a MySQL database using PHP is a fundamental process for building dynamic web applications. By using proper validation, prepared statements, and secure connections, you can ensure that user data is safely stored. This process enhances both functionality and user experience, making your web application more reliable and scalable.