How can PHP functions like urlencode be utilized to handle special characters in URLs?

Special characters in URLs can cause issues with how the URL is interpreted by browsers and servers. The PHP function `urlencode` can be used to encode special characters in a URL, making it safe for use in web applications. By using `urlencode`, special characters are converted into a format that can be safely transmitted over the internet.

$url = "https://www.example.com/page?name=John Doe";
$encoded_url = urlencode($url);

echo $encoded_url;