How can absolute file paths be used instead of relative paths when including files in PHP to ensure consistency and avoid errors?

When including files in PHP, using absolute file paths instead of relative paths can ensure consistency and avoid errors. Absolute paths specify the full path to the file on the server, starting from the root directory. This eliminates any ambiguity and ensures that the correct file is always included, regardless of the current working directory.

<?php
// Absolute path to the file to be included
$include_path = '/var/www/html/includes/header.php';

// Include the file using the absolute path
include $include_path;
?>