How can one effectively apply best practices in PHP programming?

To effectively apply best practices in PHP programming, one should follow principles such as using proper naming conventions, organizing code into reusable functions or classes, sanitizing user input to prevent security vulnerabilities, and commenting code for clarity and maintainability.

// Example of applying best practices in PHP programming

// Using proper naming conventions
$firstName = "John";
$lastName = "Doe";

// Organizing code into reusable functions
function calculateArea($length, $width) {
    return $length * $width;
}

// Sanitizing user input to prevent security vulnerabilities
$userInput = $_POST['input'];
$cleanInput = filter_var($userInput, FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);

// Commenting code for clarity and maintainability
// This function calculates the area of a rectangle
$area = calculateArea(5, 10);
echo "The area of the rectangle is: " . $area;