What are the best practices for optimizing image loading and linking in PHP scripts to avoid unnecessary traffic?

To optimize image loading and linking in PHP scripts and avoid unnecessary traffic, it is recommended to use lazy loading techniques, serve scaled images, and leverage browser caching. Additionally, linking images efficiently by using relative paths and optimizing image file sizes can help reduce unnecessary data transfer.

<?php
// Lazy loading images using the 'loading="lazy"' attribute
echo '<img src="image.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Image">';

// Serving scaled images based on device resolution
echo '<img src="image.jpg" width="300" height="200" alt="Image">';

// Leveraging browser caching for images
header("Cache-Control: max-age=31536000");
header("Expires: " . gmdate('D, d M Y H:i:s', time() + 31536000) . ' GMT');

// Linking images using relative paths to avoid unnecessary traffic
echo '<img src="/images/image.jpg" alt="Image">';
?>