How can PHP developers ensure consistent CSV formatting when dealing with different client operating systems and software like Excel?

To ensure consistent CSV formatting when dealing with different client operating systems and software like Excel, PHP developers can use the PHPExcel library to generate CSV files. This library handles various CSV formatting issues, such as encoding, escaping special characters, and handling line endings, ensuring compatibility across different systems.

// Include PHPExcel library
require 'PHPExcel/Classes/PHPExcel.php';

// Create new PHPExcel object
$objPHPExcel = new PHPExcel();

// Add data to the spreadsheet
$objPHPExcel->setActiveSheetIndex(0)
    ->setCellValue('A1', 'Name')
    ->setCellValue('B1', 'Age')
    ->setCellValue('C1', 'Email');

// Set headers for CSV output
header('Content-Type: application/csv');
header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="data.csv"');

// Output CSV file
$objWriter = PHPExcel_IOFactory::createWriter($objPHPExcel, 'CSV');
$objWriter->setDelimiter(',');
$objWriter->setEnclosure('"');
$objWriter->setLineEnding("\r\n");
$objWriter->setSheetIndex(0);
$objWriter->save('php://output');