How can variables be manipulated to include or exclude specific parts of file paths in PHP?

To manipulate variables to include or exclude specific parts of file paths in PHP, you can use functions like `basename()`, `dirname()`, and `explode()` to extract or modify different parts of the path as needed. By breaking down the file path into its components and manipulating them accordingly, you can customize the path to include or exclude specific parts.

// Example: Include only the filename in the file path
$fullPath = "/path/to/directory/filename.txt";
$filename = basename($fullPath);
echo $filename; // Output: filename.txt

// Example: Exclude the filename from the file path
$fullPath = "/path/to/directory/filename.txt";
$directory = dirname($fullPath);
echo $directory; // Output: /path/to/directory