What are the best practices for using the include statement in PHP to include files?

When using the include statement in PHP to include files, it is important to follow some best practices to ensure the proper functioning and security of your application. It is recommended to use the include statement instead of require when including files that are not essential for the script to run. Additionally, always use the full path to the file to avoid any path traversal vulnerabilities. Lastly, make sure to sanitize and validate user input before including files to prevent any potential security risks. 

// Example of including a file with best practices
$included_file = '/path/to/your/file.php';

if (file_exists($included_file)) {
    include $included_file;
} else {
    echo 'File not found';
}

Keywords

include statement PHP files file inclusion code organization

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