How can PHP developers differentiate between GET and POST requests to handle form data securely?

To differentiate between GET and POST requests in PHP, developers can use the `$_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD']` variable. By checking the value of this variable, developers can determine if the form data was submitted using the GET or POST method. This is important for handling form data securely, as sensitive information should never be passed through the URL in a GET request.

if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST') {
    // Process form data securely
    $username = $_POST['username'];
    $password = $_POST['password'];
    
    // Perform necessary validation and sanitization
}