What are common pitfalls when integrating external PHP scripts with Joomla websites?

Common pitfalls when integrating external PHP scripts with Joomla websites include conflicts with Joomla's framework, security vulnerabilities, and compatibility issues with Joomla's version. To solve these issues, it is important to properly encapsulate the external PHP script to prevent conflicts, sanitize user inputs to prevent security vulnerabilities, and ensure the script is compatible with Joomla's version by checking for any deprecated functions or features.

// Encapsulate external PHP script to prevent conflicts with Joomla's framework
defined('_JEXEC') or die;

// Sanitize user inputs to prevent security vulnerabilities
$input = JFactory::getApplication()->input;
$username = $input->get('username', '', 'STRING');

// Check compatibility with Joomla's version
if (version_compare(JVERSION, '3.9', '<')) {
    // Code for older Joomla versions
} else {
    // Code for newer Joomla versions
}