php - Quickest most efficient way to run a loop to find and verify over 1 million usernames off a different website? -

using php current script work it's going take extremely long time since there on 1 million usernames verify.

this checks against external websites api , returns <span class="user">{userid}</span> if it's valid username , returns <span class="user">0</span> if it's not.

    $query = $db->query('select id, username users_to_verify'); // on 1 million.     foreach($query $row) {     $userid = $row['id'];     $username = $row['username'];     if(!preg_match("/<span class=\"user\">0<\/span>/", file_get_contents("http://website.net/api.php?username=".$username)))             $db->query('update users_to_verify set verified = 1 id = $userid');         }     } 

is quickest way this? i've dabbled curl both file_get_contents , curl seem have same performance, know of dependent on external websites response time, want make sure side using quickest , best approach possible.

i don't know file_get_contentes , curl performance. can boost speed run query in 1 command :

$query = $db->query('select id, username users_to_verify'); // on 1 million. $update_query = []; foreach($query $row) { $userid = $row['id']; $username = $row['username']; if(!preg_match("/<span class=\"user\">0<\/span>/", file_get_contents("http://website.net/api.php?username=".$username)))         $update_query[] = 'update users_to_verify set verified = 1 id = $userid';     } } $db->query(implode(';',$update_query)); 

in case don't have connect , run query in every step of loop.

edit:

it better collect verified userids , use where id in(implode(',', $userids)). mysql has handle single query.

$query = $db->query('select id, username users_to_verify'); // on 1 million. $userids = []; foreach($query $row) { $userid = $row['id']; $username = $row['username']; if(!preg_match("/<span class=\"user\">0<\/span>/", file_get_contents("http://website.net/api.php?username=".$username)))         $userids[] = $userid;     } } $db->query('update users_to_verify set verified = 1 id in('.implode(',', $userids).')');