What are the best practices for handling file reading and manipulation in PHP to ensure efficient and effective code execution?

When handling file reading and manipulation in PHP, it is important to use efficient methods to ensure optimal code execution. One best practice is to use file_get_contents() or fopen() for reading files, and fwrite() or file_put_contents() for writing files. Additionally, it is recommended to use appropriate error handling techniques, such as checking if the file exists before attempting to read or write to it.

// Example of reading a file using file_get_contents()
$file_contents = file_get_contents('example.txt');
echo $file_contents;

// Example of writing to a file using file_put_contents()
$data = "Hello, World!";
file_put_contents('output.txt', $data);