How can including files with closing PHP tags affect the output of readfile() in PHP scripts?

Including files with closing PHP tags can affect the output of readfile() in PHP scripts by causing unwanted whitespace or characters to be sent to the output buffer. To solve this issue, it is recommended to omit the closing PHP tag in included files to prevent any unintended output. This ensures that readfile() can output the contents of the included file without any additional characters interfering.

<?php
// Include file without closing PHP tag
include 'file.php';

// Output the contents of the included file using readfile()
readfile('file.php');
?>