What are the best practices for including language files in PHP without using a database?

When including language files in PHP without using a database, it is important to organize your language files properly and use a consistent naming convention. One common approach is to store language strings in separate files for each language, and then include the appropriate file based on the user's language preference. By following best practices for including language files, you can easily manage translations and ensure that your application is easily maintainable.

// Example of including language files based on user's language preference

// Set the user's language preference (can be obtained from user settings or browser headers)
$userLanguage = 'en';

// Define the path to the language files directory
$languageFilesDir = 'languages/';

// Include the appropriate language file based on user's language preference
if (file_exists($languageFilesDir . $userLanguage . '.php')) {
    include($languageFilesDir . $userLanguage . '.php');
} else {
    // Fallback to default language file if user's language is not available
    include($languageFilesDir . 'en.php');
}

// Usage example
echo $lang['welcome_message']; // Output: Welcome to our website