What are the benefits of using XSL Transformation in PHP for transforming XML data into a different format, and how does it compare to other methods of data manipulation?

XSL Transformation in PHP allows for the efficient transformation of XML data into a different format by using XSLT stylesheets. This method provides a clean separation between the data and its presentation, making it easier to maintain and update the transformation logic. Compared to other methods of data manipulation, XSL Transformation offers a standardized and powerful way to transform XML data, ensuring consistency and reusability in the transformation process.

// Load the XML source
$xml = new DOMDocument;
$xml->load('input.xml');

// Load the XSLT stylesheet
$xsl = new DOMDocument;
$xsl->load('stylesheet.xsl');

// Create a new XSLT processor and apply the stylesheet
$proc = new XSLTProcessor;
$proc->importStyleSheet($xsl);

// Transform the XML data
$newXml = $proc->transformToXML($xml);

// Output the transformed data
echo $newXml;