Retrieving Column Names from a MySQL Table Using a SQL Query

To extract all column names from a MySQL table into an array in PHP, the following SQL query can be used:

SELECT `COLUMN_NAME` 
FROM `INFORMATION_SCHEMA`.`COLUMNS` 
WHERE `TABLE_SCHEMA`='yourdatabasename' 
    AND `TABLE_NAME`='yourtablename';

This query leverages the INFORMATION_SCHEMA metadata virtual database, specifically the INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS table. It provides comprehensive information about table columns beyond just the column name, including column type, nullability, maximum size, character set, and more.

The INFORMATION_SCHEMA tables offer a standardized and reliable way to access metadata in MySQL. They provide a rich source of information without the need for parsing text-based results as with SHOW... commands. This approach is recommended for both its power and adherence to SQL standards.

For further insights into the differences between using SHOW... and INFORMATION_SCHEMA tables, refer to the official MySQL documentation on INFORMATION_SCHEMA.