What is the purpose of the mysqli_connect() function?

The mysqli_connect() function is specifically designed to establish a connection to a MySQL database server. This function takes parameters such as the hostname, username, password, and database name to successfully connect to the specified database. Once the connection is established, it allows for subsequent operations such as executing queries and fetching results.

Understanding that this function is foundational for interacting with a MySQL database is key; without making a connection first using mysqli_connect(), no further database actions can be performed. It lays the groundwork for all other functionalities, such as executing SQL commands or retrieving data, which is why this option is accurate. Other choices, such as executing a SQL query or fetching results, rely on having established a successful connection first, which can only be done by using mysqli_connect(). Similarly, creating a new database requires a connection to the MySQL server, making it dependent on the successful execution of this function.