How can the PHP script be optimized for better performance when handling a large number of files and directories in the listing?

When handling a large number of files and directories in a listing, the PHP script can be optimized for better performance by using functions like scandir() to efficiently retrieve directory contents and limiting the number of file operations. Additionally, caching the directory listing results can help reduce the number of file system calls and improve overall performance.

<?php
// Function to efficiently list files and directories
function listFiles($dir) {
    $files = scandir($dir);
    foreach($files as $file) {
        if ($file != '.' && $file != '..') {
            echo $file . "<br>";
        }
    }
}

// Example usage
listFiles('/path/to/directory');
?>