How can URL encoding and decoding impact the data sent and received in PHP scripts using cURL?
URL encoding and decoding can impact the data sent and received in PHP scripts using cURL by ensuring that special characters are properly handled and transmitted without any issues. When sending data via cURL, it is important to encode the data using urlencode() to prevent any errors or unexpected behavior. Similarly, when receiving data, decoding it using urldecode() will ensure that the data is in its original form.
// Encode data before sending via cURL
$data = array(
'name' => 'John Doe',
'email' => 'john.doe@example.com'
);
$encoded_data = http_build_query($data);
// Initialize cURL session
$ch = curl_init();
// Set cURL options
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, 'https://example.com/api');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, 1);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $encoded_data);
// Execute cURL session
$response = curl_exec($ch);
// Decode data received from cURL response
$decoded_response = urldecode($response);
// Close cURL session
curl_close($ch);
// Process the decoded response
echo $decoded_response;