What are the advantages of using PCRE functions over POSIX regex functions in PHP, and how can they be implemented effectively?

Using PCRE functions in PHP offers more advanced features and better performance compared to POSIX regex functions. PCRE functions support additional features like lookaheads, lookbehinds, and named capturing groups. To implement PCRE functions effectively, use the preg_match(), preg_replace(), or preg_match_all() functions along with appropriate regex patterns.

// Example code snippet implementing PCRE functions in PHP
$string = "Hello, World!";
$pattern = '/\b\w+\b/';
preg_match_all($pattern, $string, $matches);
print_r($matches[0]);