How can PHP beginners effectively debug their scripts, especially when encountering issues with form submission?

When encountering issues with form submission in PHP scripts, beginners can effectively debug by using the `var_dump()` function to inspect the form data being submitted. This allows them to see the structure of the data and identify any errors or missing values. Additionally, checking for syntax errors, ensuring form fields match the expected input names, and using `isset()` or `empty()` functions to validate form data can help in debugging form submission issues. 

<?php
if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST") {
    var_dump($_POST); // Inspect form data being submitted

    // Validate form fields
    if (isset($_POST['submit_button']) && !empty($_POST['input_field'])) {
        // Process form submission
        $input_data = $_POST['input_field'];
        // Additional processing code here
    } else {
        echo "Form fields are not filled correctly.";
    }
}
?>

Keywords

Xdebug var_dump error_reporting $_POST debugging

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