In what scenarios would using include or require statements in PHP code impact the generation of unexpected output or errors like the "1" in the alert message?

Using include or require statements in PHP code can lead to unexpected output or errors if the included file contains echo or print statements that output content directly to the browser. This can cause issues like the "1" in the alert message because the included file's output is not being captured or handled properly. To solve this issue, you can use output buffering to capture the output of the included file and then manipulate it as needed before displaying it.

<?php
ob_start();
include 'file.php';
$output = ob_get_clean();
echo $output;
?>