- Review the SQL query for syntax errors. Look for missing commas, quotation marks, parentheses, or misused SQL keywords.
- Use the `EXPLAIN` statement before your query (e.g., `EXPLAIN SELECT * FROM table;`) to check if MySQL can parse your SQL statement.
- Check for reserved words used as column or table names without backticks. If found, enclose them in backticks (`).
- Verify data types in the WHERE clause or other conditions match the column data types.
- If using functions, ensure they are spelled correctly and have the correct number of arguments.
- Check for unmatched single quotes (`'`) or double quotes (`"`) around string literals.
- If the error message points to a specific part of the query (e.g., near '...'), closely inspect that part for mistakes.
- If your query includes subqueries, test them independently to ensure they're correct.
- For complex queries, break them down into smaller parts and run each part separately to isolate the error.
10. Check the MySQL version documentation for any features or syntax not supported in your version if the query is from an external source or based on examples from a newer version.