How can I give users access to MySQL database securely without showing them my database credentials

Question

Customers download front end source code from my website which contains database access on my server. I don't want to incldue the config.php file in the download so have used:

<?php include("http://www.othersite.com/config.php"); ?>

Is there a more secure or more efficient way (as users have to enable allow_remote_url in their php.ini currently) of providing users access?

Answer 1

How about creating users in mysql for each customer, then give them access to one database only? Or provide an api which can access the database?