How can the use of arrays and iterators improve the efficiency of processing complex data structures in PHP?

Using arrays and iterators can improve the efficiency of processing complex data structures in PHP by allowing for easier traversal and manipulation of data elements. Arrays provide a way to store multiple values in a single variable, while iterators offer a way to iterate over elements in a collection without needing to know the specific structure of the data. By using these tools, developers can write cleaner and more concise code, leading to improved performance and maintainability.

// Example of using arrays and iterators to process complex data structures in PHP

// Define a multidimensional array representing complex data
$data = [
    ['name' => 'John', 'age' => 30],
    ['name' => 'Jane', 'age' => 25],
    ['name' => 'Bob', 'age' => 35]
];

// Create an iterator for the data array
$iterator = new ArrayIterator($data);

// Iterate over the data and output each person's name and age
foreach ($iterator as $person) {
    echo $person['name'] . ' is ' . $person['age'] . ' years old' . PHP_EOL;
}