How can the use of global arrays in PHP impact code readability and debugging processes?

Using global arrays in PHP can impact code readability and debugging processes because it makes it harder to track where the array is being modified or accessed throughout the codebase. It can lead to unexpected changes in the array values due to the global scope, making it difficult to pinpoint the source of errors. To improve readability and debugging, it's recommended to avoid using global arrays and instead pass them as parameters to functions or use object-oriented programming to encapsulate data. 

// Avoid using global arrays
$globalArray = [];

function addToGlobalArray($value) {
    global $globalArray;
    $globalArray[] = $value;
}

// Better approach: pass array as parameter
$localArray = [];

function addToLocalArray(&$array, $value) {
    $array[] = $value;
}

addToLocalArray($localArray, 'value');

Keywords

global arrays PHP code readability debugging processes

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