connecting to phpMyAdmin database with PHP/MySQL

The database is a MySQL database, not a phpMyAdmin database. phpMyAdmin is only PHP code that connects to the DB.

mysql_connect('localhost', 'username', 'password') or die (mysql_error());
mysql_select_database('db_name') or die (mysql_error());

// now you are connected

Connect to MySQL

<?php

/*** mysql hostname ***/
$hostname = 'localhost';

/*** mysql username ***/
$username = 'username';

/*** mysql password ***/
$password = 'password';

try {
    $dbh = new PDO("mysql:host=$hostname;dbname=mysql", $username, $password);
    /*** echo a message saying we have connected ***/
    echo 'Connected to database';
    }
catch(PDOException $e)
    {
    echo $e->getMessage();
    }
?>

Also mysqli_connect() function to open a new connection to the MySQL server.

<?php
// Create connection
$con=mysqli_connect(host,username,password,dbname); 

// Check connection
if (mysqli_connect_errno())
  {
  echo "Failed to connect to MySQL: " . mysqli_connect_error();
  }
?>