What are common pitfalls when including external files in PHP scripts, especially when using a localhost environment?

Common pitfalls when including external files in PHP scripts, especially in a localhost environment, include using incorrect file paths or not properly sanitizing user input that is used in the include statement. To solve this issue, always use the correct file paths relative to the current script location and avoid including files based on user input to prevent security vulnerabilities.

<?php
// Correct way to include an external file using the correct file path
include_once(__DIR__ . '/path/to/external/file.php');
?>