What are some best practices for managing and updating variable values in PHP scripts over time?

When managing and updating variable values in PHP scripts over time, it is important to use constants for values that should not change, and to clearly document the purpose of each variable. Additionally, consider using configuration files or databases to store variable values that may need to be updated frequently without modifying the script itself.

// Define constants for values that should not change
define('MAX_ATTEMPTS', 3);
define('API_KEY', 'your_api_key_here');

// Document the purpose of each variable
$timeout = 30; // Timeout in seconds for API requests

// Use configuration files or databases for frequently updated values
$config = parse_ini_file('config.ini');
$database_host = $config['database_host'];
$database_user = $config['database_user'];
$database_password = $config['database_password'];