In what scenarios would it be more appropriate to use http_build_query() over manual encoding methods for URL parameters in PHP scripts?

When dealing with URL parameters in PHP scripts, it is more appropriate to use the built-in function http_build_query() when you have an array of parameters that need to be encoded into a query string. This function takes an array of key-value pairs and properly encodes them into a URL-encoded query string, handling special characters and spaces automatically. Using http_build_query() simplifies the process of encoding parameters and ensures that the resulting URL is correctly formatted. 

// Example of using http_build_query() to encode URL parameters
$params = array(
    'name' => 'John Doe',
    'age' => 30,
    'city' => 'New York'
);

$queryString = http_build_query($params);
$url = 'http://example.com/api?' . $queryString;

echo $url;

Keywords

http_build_query URL parameters encoding PHP scripts scenarios

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