Are there any alternative methods or functions in PHP that can be used to search for specific patterns in a string, aside from regular expressions?

Regular expressions are a powerful tool for pattern matching in strings, but for those who prefer a simpler approach, PHP offers alternative functions like strpos() and strstr(). These functions can be used to search for specific patterns in a string without the need for complex regular expressions. By using these functions, developers can achieve the same result with a more straightforward and easier-to-understand code.

$string = "Hello, world!";
$pattern = "world";

// Using strpos() to search for a pattern in a string
if (strpos($string, $pattern) !== false) {
    echo "Pattern found using strpos()";
} else {
    echo "Pattern not found using strpos()";
}

// Using strstr() to search for a pattern in a string
if (strstr($string, $pattern)) {
    echo "Pattern found using strstr()";
} else {
    echo "Pattern not found using strstr()";
}