What are best practices for separating data processing and output in PHP when working with complex arrays like the one described in the forum thread?
When working with complex arrays in PHP, it is best practice to separate data processing from output to improve code readability and maintainability. This can be achieved by creating separate functions or classes to handle data processing and another function or template for outputting the processed data.
// Data processing function
function processData($data) {
// Process the complex array here
// Return the processed data
return $processedData;
}
// Output function
function outputData($processedData) {
// Output the processed data in a desired format
echo json_encode($processedData);
}
// Usage
$data = // Your complex array
$processedData = processData($data);
outputData($processedData);