What are the benefits of using file_get_contents() over fopen() for retrieving data from URLs in PHP?

Using file_get_contents() is simpler and more concise than using fopen() for retrieving data from URLs in PHP. It requires fewer lines of code and handles the process of opening, reading, and closing the file automatically. This makes it a more convenient option for developers looking to quickly fetch data from a URL.

$url = 'https://www.example.com/data.json';
$data = file_get_contents($url);

// Process the retrieved data
echo $data;