What are the advantages and disadvantages of using file_get_contents versus APIs for retrieving external content in PHP?

When retrieving external content in PHP, using file_get_contents is a simple and straightforward way to fetch data from a URL. However, using APIs can provide more control over the data being retrieved and often offer additional functionality such as authentication and error handling. It is important to consider the specific requirements of your project when deciding between file_get_contents and APIs.

// Using file_get_contents to retrieve external content
$url = 'https://example.com/data.json';
$data = file_get_contents($url);
echo $data;