What are the best practices for initializing and using arrays in PHP functions to prevent data loss or corruption?

When initializing and using arrays in PHP functions, it is important to ensure that the array is properly initialized before adding or modifying elements to prevent data loss or corruption. One way to do this is by checking if the array is null or not using the isset() function before performing any operations on it. Additionally, using array functions such as array_push() or array_merge() can help prevent accidental overwriting of data.

// Initializing an array and adding elements to it safely
function safe_array_operation($input_array, $new_element) {
    // Check if the input array is set and initialize it if not
    if (!isset($input_array)) {
        $input_array = array();
    }
    
    // Add new element to the array
    array_push($input_array, $new_element);
    
    return $input_array;
}

// Example of using the safe_array_operation function
$my_array = array(1, 2, 3);
$new_element = 4;
$updated_array = safe_array_operation($my_array, $new_element);
print_r($updated_array);