In the context of PHP scripts interacting with external APIs, what measures can be taken to ensure proper execution and data handling?

When interacting with external APIs in PHP scripts, it is crucial to handle errors gracefully, validate input data, sanitize user input, and securely transmit sensitive information. To ensure proper execution and data handling, use try-catch blocks to catch exceptions, validate API responses, implement proper error handling mechanisms, and use HTTPS for secure data transmission.

try {
    $response = file_get_contents('https://api.example.com/data');
    
    if ($response === false) {
        throw new Exception('Failed to fetch data from API');
    }
    
    // Process API response here
    
} catch (Exception $e) {
    echo 'Error: ' . $e->getMessage();
}