What are the best practices for hashing passwords in PHP to enhance security?

When storing passwords in a database, it is crucial to hash them securely to enhance security. One common and recommended method is to use the password_hash() function in PHP, which generates a secure hash using bcrypt. This function automatically generates a random salt for each password, making it more resistant to attacks like rainbow tables. It is also important to use password_verify() when checking passwords during login to ensure that the entered password matches the hashed password.

// Hashing a password
$password = "secret_password";
$hashed_password = password_hash($password, PASSWORD_DEFAULT);

// Verifying a password
$entered_password = "secret_password";
if (password_verify($entered_password, $hashed_password)) {
    echo "Password is correct!";
} else {
    echo "Password is incorrect!";
}