How can PHP beginners ensure that their scripts properly handle file reading and output functions like nl2br and utf8_encode?

PHP beginners can ensure that their scripts properly handle file reading and output functions like nl2br and utf8_encode by properly handling file permissions, checking for errors during file operations, and using appropriate encoding functions to handle special characters. It is important to use error handling techniques such as try-catch blocks to catch any exceptions that may occur during file operations. Additionally, using functions like nl2br and utf8_encode can help to properly format and encode text for output.

<?php
// Read a file and output its contents with proper encoding and line breaks
$filename = "example.txt";

try {
    $file_contents = file_get_contents($filename);
    $file_contents = utf8_encode($file_contents);
    $file_contents = nl2br($file_contents);
    
    echo $file_contents;
} catch (Exception $e) {
    echo "Error reading file: " . $e->getMessage();
}
?>