Are there risks associated with using wp_options table using wpdb to update theme options

Question

I am making a theme and it has so many options that need to be updated via jquery's ajax.Having looked at ways of updating wp_options via ajax,i have hypothesised that updating the wp_options table would be the easy way out for me.

Are there risks if update the options that way or is it safer to go the api way?.

Answer 1

Updating options via pure SQL is wrong.

1. If you feel you have too many options to use the regular API you probably have too many options at all. A theme should not do the job a plugin can do. In fact, it should do as little as possible and let the user choose a plugin for simple tasks.
   Examples are fields for tracking codes or sharing meta data.

2. Store your options in one array under a single option name. The API will serialize it for you. Exceptions are options you need on de/activation only like the theme version.

3. If you use the API plugins can hook into pre_get_option_* and extend or change what you do. Don’t break that, you cannot know what your users need.