Is file_get_contents a better alternative to fopen for reading file contents in PHP? What are the advantages?

file_get_contents is often considered a better alternative to fopen for reading file contents in PHP because it simplifies the process by directly returning the file contents as a string, eliminating the need for multiple function calls. Additionally, file_get_contents handles errors more gracefully by returning false if the file cannot be read, whereas fopen requires additional error handling code. 

// Using file_get_contents to read file contents
$file_contents = file_get_contents('example.txt');

if ($file_contents !== false) {
    echo $file_contents;
} else {
    echo 'Error reading file.';
}

Keywords

file_get_contents fopen reading files PHP advantages

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