How can you connect models to a database manually?

In CodeIgniter, you typically don’t manually connect models to the database. Instead, you configure the database connection in the CodeIgniter configuration files, and then models interact with the database through the CodeIgniter database class. However, if you’re asked how you can conceptually connect models to a database manually in CodeIgniter, you can explain the process as follows:

1. Configure Database: First, you need to configure the database connection parameters in the database.php file located in the application/config directory. Here, you specify the database hostname, username, password, database name, and other relevant settings.
2. Load Database Library: In your model or controller, you need to load the CodeIgniter database library. This is typically done within the constructor or at the beginning of the method where you intend to perform database operations.
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   $this->load->database();

3. Perform Database Operations: Once the database library is loaded, you can use it to perform various database operations such as querying data, inserting records, updating records, deleting records, etc.
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   $query = $this->db->query('SELECT * FROM table_name');

4. Access Results: After executing a query, you can access the results using methods provided by the database library.
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   $result = $query->result();


By following these steps, you effectively connect your models (or controllers) to the database manually in CodeIgniter. However, it’s important to note that CodeIgniter encourages the use of its built-in database abstraction layer, which handles database connections and operations transparently, simplifying the development process and enhancing security.