Are there any best practices for organizing PHP files and including them in a way that ensures variable availability throughout the script?

When organizing PHP files, it is best practice to use include or require statements to bring in external files that contain functions, classes, or variables that you need in your script. By including these files at the beginning of your script, you ensure that the variables are available throughout the rest of the script. Additionally, using namespaces and autoloading can help keep your code organized and prevent naming conflicts. 

// index.php
<?php
require_once 'config.php'; // Include file with variables/constants

// Use variables from config.php
echo "Welcome, " . $siteName;

require_once 'functions.php'; // Include file with functions

// Use functions from functions.php
echo "The sum is: " . sum(5, 3);
```
```php
// config.php
<?php
$siteName = "My Website";
```
```php
// functions.php
<?php
function sum($a, $b) {
    return $a + $b;
}

Keywords

PHP file organization include variable scope script structure

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