In what scenarios would it be advisable to avoid using ftp_chmod() in PHP development?

Avoid using ftp_chmod() in PHP development when dealing with sensitive or critical files on a server, as it can potentially lead to security vulnerabilities if not properly handled. It is advisable to use more secure methods for changing file permissions, such as SSH or SFTP connections, to ensure the safety of the files.

// Example of using SSH2 to change file permissions instead of ftp_chmod()
$connection = ssh2_connect('example.com', 22);
ssh2_auth_password($connection, 'username', 'password');

// Change permissions of the file
ssh2_sftp_chmod(ssh2_sftp($connection), '/path/to/file.txt', 0644);