What are some recommended resources or libraries for handling downloads in PHP?

When handling downloads in PHP, it is important to ensure that the files are served securely and efficiently. One common approach is to use the readfile() function in PHP, which reads a file and writes it to the output buffer. Additionally, setting appropriate headers such as Content-Type and Content-Disposition can help control how the file is handled by the browser.

<?php

// Specify the file to be downloaded
$file = 'path/to/file.pdf';

// Set the appropriate headers for the file download
header('Content-Type: application/pdf');
header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="' . basename($file) . '"');
header('Content-Length: ' . filesize($file));

// Read the file and output it to the browser
readfile($file);

exit;