How can specifying absolute paths for files and programs help resolve issues with the exec function in PHP?

When using the exec function in PHP, specifying absolute paths for files and programs can help resolve issues related to the function not being able to find the necessary files or programs. This is because the exec function runs in a different environment than the user's shell, so it may not have the same PATH variables set. By providing absolute paths, you ensure that the function knows exactly where to find the files and programs it needs to execute.

// Specify absolute paths for files and programs in the exec function
$output = exec('/usr/bin/program /path/to/file');