What are the best practices for handling PDF files in PHP, especially when it comes to interacting with form data and database storage?

When handling PDF files in PHP, especially when interacting with form data and database storage, it is best practice to use a library like TCPDF or FPDF to create, read, and manipulate PDF files. These libraries provide functions to extract form data from PDF files, process it, and store it in a database. Additionally, using a secure database connection and sanitizing input data is crucial to prevent SQL injection attacks.

// Example code using TCPDF to extract form data from a PDF file and store it in a database

require_once('tcpdf_include.php');

$pdf = new TCPDF();
$pdf->setSourceFile('example_form.pdf');
$pages = $pdf->getNumPages();

$form_data = array();

for ($i = 1; $i <= $pages; $i++) {
    $pdf->setPage($i);
    $form_data[] = $pdf->getFormFields();
}

// Process and sanitize form data before storing in database
// Insert data into database using secure PDO connection