What are the best practices for separating HTML and PHP code to improve readability and maintainability in PHP web development?

Separating HTML and PHP code helps improve readability and maintainability in PHP web development by clearly distinguishing the presentation layer from the logic layer. This separation makes it easier to work with designers who may not be familiar with PHP, allows for easier debugging, and promotes code reusability.

<?php
// PHP logic
$variable = "Hello, World!";

// HTML presentation
?>
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>Separating HTML and PHP</title>
</head>
<body>
    <h1><?php echo $variable; ?></h1>
</body>
</html>