What are the best practices for storing and managing configuration settings in PHP applications?

Storing and managing configuration settings in PHP applications is important for maintaining flexibility and security. One common best practice is to store configuration settings in a separate file, such as a PHP file or a JSON file, to keep them organized and easily accessible. Additionally, using constants or a configuration class can help centralize and manage configuration settings effectively.

// config.php
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');
define('DB_USER', 'root');
define('DB_PASS', 'password');
define('DB_NAME', 'my_database');

// usage in application
$connection = new mysqli(DB_HOST, DB_USER, DB_PASS, DB_NAME);