I have php database file labeled database.php. When I test my connection error script in database.php, I pass in the directory files ($mysqli = require __DIR__ . "/database.php";) to my validation file labeled auth.php & change $password in database.php, but Im getting a blank page instead of the connection error script (die("Connection error: " . $mysqli->connect_error);).

What is the issue?:

database.php

<?php

$host = "localhost";
$dbname = "login_db";
$username = "root";
$password = "xxx";

# connect to sql database
$mysqli = new mysqli(hostname: $host, 
                    username: $username, 
                    password: $password, 
                    database: $dbname);

if ($mysqli->connect_errno) {
    die("Connection error: " . $mysqli->connect_error);
}
return $mysqli;

?>

auth.php

<?php

# Register validation
if (empty($_POST["Username"])) {
    die("ERROR: Enter a Username");
}

if (strlen($_POST["Password"]) < 10) {
    die("Password must be at least 10 characters");
}

if (! preg_match("/[A-Z]/i", $_POST["Password"])) {
    die("Password must contain at least one capital letter");
}

if (! preg_match("/[0-9]/", $_POST["Password"])) {
    die("Password must contain at least one number");
}

if (! preg_match("/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/", $_POST["Password"])) {
    die("Password must contain at least one symbol");
}

if ($_POST["Password"] !== $_POST["ConfirmPassword"]) {
    die("Password must match");
}

if (! is_numeric($_POST["Pin"])) {
    die("Pin must contain numbers only");
}

if ($_POST["Pin"] !== $_POST["ConfirmPin"]) {
    die("Pin must match");
}


#Password/Pin Hash
$password_hash = password_hash($_POST["Password"], PASSWORD_DEFAULT);
$confirm_password_hash = password_hash($_POST["ConfirmPassword"], PASSWORD_DEFAULT);
$pin_hash = password_hash($_POST["Pin"], PASSWORD_DEFAULT);
$confirm_pin_hash = password_hash($_POST["ConfirmPin"], PASSWORD_DEFAULT);

$mysqli = require __DIR__ . "/database.php";


print_r($_POST);

var_dump($password_hash);
var_dump($confirm_password_hash);
var_dump($pin_hash);
var_dump($confirm_pin_hash);
?>

I’ve tried changing the directory file direction, but to no avail. I’ve attached a screenshot of my VSCode folder path for more context.