What are the best practices for handling data retrieved from an API in PHP, especially when dealing with time-sensitive conditions like the example provided?

When handling data retrieved from an API in PHP, especially when dealing with time-sensitive conditions, it is important to properly validate and manipulate the data to ensure accuracy. One way to handle time-sensitive conditions is to compare the retrieved data with the current time and make decisions based on that comparison.

// Assuming $apiData is the data retrieved from the API
$currentTime = time();
$apiTime = strtotime($apiData['timestamp']);

if ($currentTime < $apiTime) {
    // Perform actions based on time-sensitive conditions
    // For example, display a message or trigger an event
} else {
    // Handle the case where the API data is outdated
}