In PHP form processing, what are the recommended methods for separating data processing from data output to enhance security and maintainability?

When processing form data in PHP, it is recommended to separate data processing from data output to enhance security and maintainability. This means that data manipulation, validation, and database operations should be done separately from displaying the results to the user. By doing so, you can prevent security vulnerabilities such as SQL injection attacks and improve the overall structure and organization of your code.

// Process form data
if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST") {
    // Data processing and validation
    $username = $_POST["username"];
    $password = $_POST["password"];

    // Database operations
    // Insert data into database or perform other operations
}

// Display output to the user
// This can be done separately from data processing