How can the EVA principle be applied to improve PHP code efficiency?

Issue: The EVA principle (Eliminate, Validate, Automate) can be applied to improve PHP code efficiency by removing unnecessary code, validating inputs to prevent errors, and automating repetitive tasks. Code snippet:

// Eliminate unnecessary code
unset($unusedVariable);

// Validate input
$userInput = $_POST['user_input'] ?? '';
if (!empty($userInput)) {
  // Process the input
}

// Automate repetitive task
function calculateTotal($items) {
  $total = 0;
  foreach ($items as $item) {
    $total += $item;
  }
  return $total;
}