Check the manual; magic_quotes, mysql_escape_string and mysql_real_escape_string...

grey-area · on Jan 9, 2014

I'm aware of that thanks, as noted in the last line:

Efforts are being made to clean it up, but for a language to ever end up in a place with that sort of library functions is a pretty big red flag.

xd · on Jan 9, 2014

"for a language to ever end up in a place with that sort of library functions is a pretty big red flag."

At the time it was reasonable .. but PHP evolved and learned lessons, it didn't just stop there as you seem to be saying.