How important is it for beginners to first understand the basics of authentication and JSON response before diving into creating a PHP API with authentication features?

It is crucial for beginners to have a solid understanding of authentication mechanisms like tokens and JSON response handling before attempting to create a PHP API with authentication features. This foundational knowledge will help them design a secure and efficient authentication system for their API, ensuring that user data remains protected.

<?php

// Sample code snippet for handling JSON response in PHP
header('Content-Type: application/json');

$data = array(
    'message' => 'Hello, World!',
    'status' => 200
);

echo json_encode($data);