How can PHP developers effectively handle timers and automatic task closure in a ToDo list plugin?

One way PHP developers can handle timers and automatic task closure in a ToDo list plugin is by using a cron job to regularly check for tasks that have passed their due date and automatically mark them as completed. This can help ensure that tasks are not left open indefinitely and keep the ToDo list up to date.

// Check for tasks that are past their due date and mark them as completed
function handleTaskClosure() {
    $tasks = getAllTasks(); // Retrieve all tasks from the database
    
    foreach ($tasks as $task) {
        if ($task['due_date'] < date('Y-m-d')) {
            markTaskAsCompleted($task['id']);
        }
    }
}

// Cron job to run handleTaskClosure function daily
// 0 0 * * * /usr/bin/php /path/to/your/script.php