What are the differences between using header() and <meta> tags for redirection in PHP?

The main difference between using header() and <meta> tags for redirection in PHP is that header() is a server-side redirect, which sends a header to the browser to redirect to a new URL. On the other hand, <meta> tags are client-side redirects and rely on the browser to interpret the tag and redirect the user. Using header() is a more reliable method as it directly instructs the server to redirect the user, while <meta> tags may not work if the browser does not support or ignores them. Additionally, header() can be used to set HTTP response codes for the redirect, which can provide more information to the browser and search engines.

// Using header() for redirection
header("Location: https://www.example.com");
exit();