What are common pitfalls when using in_array with PHP arrays, especially when using $_GET variables?

Common pitfalls when using in_array with PHP arrays, especially when using $_GET variables, include not properly sanitizing user input and not checking if the array key exists before using in_array. To solve this, always sanitize user input, check if the array key exists before using in_array, and use strict comparison (===) to avoid unexpected results.

// Sanitize user input
$searchTerm = filter_input(INPUT_GET, 'search', FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);

// Check if key exists before using in_array
if(isset($_GET['search']) && in_array($searchTerm, $array, true)) {
    // Perform desired action
}