Are there best practices for integrating a web interface with local programs for file editing in PHP?

When integrating a web interface with local programs for file editing in PHP, it is important to ensure security by validating user input and sanitizing file paths. One common approach is to use PHP's `shell_exec()` function to execute local programs for file editing, while also implementing proper error handling to catch any issues that may arise during the process.

<?php
// Validate and sanitize user input for file path
$file_path = filter_var($_POST['file_path'], FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);

// Execute local program for file editing
$output = shell_exec("local_program $file_path");

if ($output === null) {
    echo "Error executing local program";
} else {
    echo "File edited successfully";
}
?>