$stmt = $pdo->prepare("SELECT * FROM users WHERE email = :email AND status = ?"); $stmt->execute([':email' => 'a@b.com', 1]); // works!

$stmt = $pdo->prepare("SELECT * FROM activity_log", [ PDO::ATTR_CURSOR => PDO::CURSOR_SCROLL ]); $stmt->execute(); $lastRow = $stmt->fetch(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC, PDO::FETCH_ORI_LAST); $firstRow = $stmt->fetch(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC, PDO::FETCH_ORI_FIRST);

sometimes shows faster raw execution in specific benchmarks, PDO is widely recognized for its robust, object-oriented approach and flexibility across different database systems. Related 2026 PHP Ecosystem Trends Performance Improvements: