In the context of PHP file paths, why is it important to standardize the use of forward slashes instead of backslashes across different operating systems?

It is important to standardize the use of forward slashes instead of backslashes in PHP file paths because forward slashes are the universal file path separator across different operating systems (Windows, Linux, macOS). Using backslashes can lead to errors or inconsistencies when switching between different environments. By consistently using forward slashes, you ensure that your file paths are compatible across all platforms.

$file_path = str_replace('\\', '/', $file_path);