What are the best practices for organizing PHP scripts and folders to minimize security vulnerabilities?

Organizing PHP scripts and folders properly can help minimize security vulnerabilities by implementing the principle of least privilege, separating sensitive information from public access, and using secure coding practices. One way to achieve this is by organizing scripts into separate directories based on their functionality and access levels, and restricting access to sensitive files using .htaccess or server configuration.

// Example of organizing PHP scripts into separate directories
// Public scripts accessible to all users
/public/index.php
/public/about.php
// Private scripts accessible only to authenticated users
/private/dashboard.php
/private/profile.php
// Restrict access to sensitive files using .htaccess
Deny from all