How can PHP developers ensure proper syntax when using input tags in forms?

PHP developers can ensure proper syntax when using input tags in forms by using PHP's htmlspecialchars function to encode user input. This function converts special characters like <, >, ", ', and & into their HTML entities, preventing any potential XSS attacks. By using htmlspecialchars, developers can safely display user input in forms without risking malicious code execution.

// Example of using htmlspecialchars to encode user input from a form
$userInput = $_POST[&#039;user_input&#039;]; // Assuming &#039;user_input&#039; is the name of the input field in the form
$safeUserInput = htmlspecialchars($userInput, ENT_QUOTES, &#039;UTF-8&#039;);
echo $safeUserInput; // Display the sanitized user input in the form