How can the inclusion of external files in PHP scripts be optimized for performance and security?

To optimize the inclusion of external files in PHP scripts for performance and security, it is recommended to use absolute paths instead of relative paths to prevent directory traversal attacks. Additionally, using the `require_once` or `include_once` functions can help prevent multiple inclusions of the same file, reducing unnecessary overhead. 

<?php
// Using absolute path to include external file
require_once(__DIR__ . '/path/to/external/file.php');
?>

Keywords

file inclusion performance optimization security measures PHP functions code injection

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