How can serializing or using JSON for data storage and retrieval in PHP improve code readability and maintainability?

Using JSON for data storage and retrieval in PHP can improve code readability and maintainability by providing a standardized format for storing and accessing data. JSON is a lightweight and human-readable data interchange format, making it easier for developers to understand the data structure. Additionally, serializing data into JSON format allows for easy storage and retrieval from files or databases, simplifying the code and making it more maintainable.

// Serialize data into JSON format for storage
$data = ['name' => 'John Doe', 'age' => 30];
$jsonData = json_encode($data);

// Store JSON data into a file
file_put_contents('data.json', $jsonData);

// Retrieve JSON data from file and unserialize it
$jsonData = file_get_contents('data.json');
$data = json_decode($jsonData, true);

// Access the data
echo $data['name']; // Output: John Doe
echo $data['age']; // Output: 30