Is checking the REQUEST_METHOD to verify if a form was submitted a reliable method for form validation in PHP?

Checking the REQUEST_METHOD to verify if a form was submitted is not a reliable method for form validation in PHP because it can be easily manipulated by the user. To ensure secure form submission, it is better to use server-side validation techniques such as validating input fields, sanitizing data, and using prepared statements to prevent SQL injection attacks.

if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST") {
    // Perform form validation and processing here
    // Example: 
    $username = $_POST['username'];
    if (empty($username)) {
        $errors[] = "Username is required";
    }
    
    // Continue with other validation checks
}