How can I ensure a smooth user experience when implementing image zoom on hover in PHP, considering performance and responsiveness issues?

To ensure a smooth user experience when implementing image zoom on hover in PHP, you can optimize the image loading and use CSS transitions for smooth zoom effects. Additionally, you can consider lazy loading techniques to improve performance and responsiveness.

<?php
// PHP code for image zoom on hover

// Define image paths
$image_path = 'path_to_image.jpg';
$zoomed_image_path = 'path_to_zoomed_image.jpg';

// Output HTML with image and zoom effect
echo '<div class="image-zoom">';
echo '<img src="' . $image_path . '" class="zoom-image" />';
echo '<img src="' . $zoomed_image_path . '" class="zoomed-image" />';
echo '</div>';

// CSS for image zoom effect
echo '<style>';
echo '.image-zoom { position: relative; }';
echo '.zoom-image { width: 200px; height: 200px; transition: transform 0.3s ease; }';
echo '.zoomed-image { width: 400px; height: 400px; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; opacity: 0; transition: opacity 0.3s ease; }';
echo '.image-zoom:hover .zoom-image { transform: scale(1.5); }';
echo '.image-zoom:hover .zoomed-image { opacity: 1; }';
echo '</style>';
?>