How does the use of create_function() compare to PHP closures in terms of efficiency and performance?

When comparing the use of create_function() and PHP closures in terms of efficiency and performance, closures are generally more efficient and perform better. This is because closures are a native language feature in PHP and are optimized for performance, while create_function() generates a new anonymous function each time it is called, leading to potential overhead.

// Example using PHP closures for better efficiency and performance
$multiplier = 2;
$closure = function($num) use ($multiplier) {
    return $num * $multiplier;
};

echo $closure(5); // Output: 10