How can PHP developers ensure code readability and maintainability when dealing with complex string manipulation tasks?

When dealing with complex string manipulation tasks in PHP, developers can ensure code readability and maintainability by breaking down the task into smaller, more manageable parts. This can be achieved by using functions or methods to encapsulate specific string manipulation operations, using meaningful variable names, and adding comments to explain the purpose of each section of code.

// Example of breaking down a complex string manipulation task into smaller parts

function removeSpecialCharacters($string) {
    return preg_replace('/[^A-Za-z0-9\-]/', '', $string);
}

function capitalizeFirstLetter($string) {
    return ucfirst($string);
}

// Main code
$inputString = "h3ll0, w0rld!";
$cleanedString = removeSpecialCharacters($inputString);
$finalString = capitalizeFirstLetter($cleanedString);

echo $finalString; // Output: H3ll0World