How can PHP functions like require() be used to streamline form processing?

When processing forms in PHP, using functions like require() can help streamline the process by allowing you to separate the form handling logic into separate files. This can make your code more organized, easier to maintain, and reusable across multiple forms.

// form.php
<form method="post" action="process_form.php">
    <input type="text" name="username" placeholder="Username">
    <input type="password" name="password" placeholder="Password">
    <button type="submit">Submit</button>
</form>

// process_form.php
<?php
require('form_functions.php');

if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST") {
    $username = sanitize_input($_POST["username"]);
    $password = sanitize_input($_POST["password"]);

    // Process form data, validate inputs, etc.
}
?>

// form_functions.php
<?php
function sanitize_input($data) {
    $data = trim($data);
    $data = stripslashes($data);
    $data = htmlspecialchars($data);
    return $data;
}
?>