In the context of PHP usage, what are some best practices for ensuring smooth communication between a server and client in a local network setup?

To ensure smooth communication between a server and client in a local network setup, it is important to properly handle errors, use secure connections, and implement efficient data transfer methods. This can be achieved by using error handling mechanisms, SSL/TLS encryption for secure communication, and optimizing data transfer using protocols like JSON.

// Example code snippet for handling errors and using SSL/TLS encryption in PHP

// Enable error reporting and display errors
error_reporting(E_ALL);
ini_set('display_errors', 1);

// Set up SSL/TLS encryption for secure communication
$context = stream_context_create([
    'ssl' => [
        'verify_peer' => true,
        'verify_peer_name' => true,
        'allow_self_signed' => false
    ]
]);

// Example usage of SSL/TLS encryption in a client-server communication
$serverUrl = 'https://example.com/api';
$response = file_get_contents($serverUrl, false, $context);

// Handle response from server
if ($response === false) {
    echo 'Error fetching data from server';
} else {
    echo $response;
}