What is CodeIgniter's Active Record (Query Builder) advantages?

CodeIgniter's Query Builder offers several advantages over raw SQL queries. Security: all values passed to the builder are automatically escaped and bound as parameters, preventing SQL injection without manual prepare()/bind() calls. Database abstraction: the same PHP code works across MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, and MSSQL — the builder generates the appropriate SQL syntax for each database. Readability: $db->table("users")->where("active", 1)->get() is clearer than raw SQL strings, especially for complex queries with joins. Method chaining: build queries incrementally across multiple lines or conditions. Query caching: cache repeated queries. The downside: very complex queries (window functions, CTEs, recursive queries) may still require raw SQL via $db->query() or $db->table()->select(DB::raw(...)).