How can a beginner in PHP ensure the security and functionality of a contact form when making modifications?

To ensure the security and functionality of a contact form in PHP, a beginner can implement input validation to prevent malicious code injections and ensure that the form data is correctly formatted. Additionally, using PHP's built-in functions like filter_var() can help sanitize input data and prevent common security vulnerabilities. Regularly testing the contact form with different inputs and scenarios can also help identify and fix any potential issues. 

// Validate and sanitize form inputs
$name = filter_var($_POST['name'], FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);
$email = filter_var($_POST['email'], FILTER_SANITIZE_EMAIL);
$message = filter_var($_POST['message'], FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);

// Check if all required fields are filled
if(empty($name) || empty($email) || empty($message)) {
    echo "Please fill in all required fields.";
    exit;
}

// Additional validation and processing logic can be added here

// Send the email
$to = "your@email.com";
$subject = "Contact Form Submission";
$body = "Name: $name\n";
$body .= "Email: $email\n";
$body .= "Message: $message\n";

$mailSent = mail($to, $subject, $body);

if($mailSent) {
    echo "Thank you for your message!";
} else {
    echo "Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.";
}

Keywords

SQL injection form validation CSRF protection PHP mail function error handling

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