What are the differences between using file_get_contents, ob_get_contents, and include in PHP?
When working with files in PHP, there are different functions that can be used depending on the specific requirements. - file_get_contents: This function reads a file into a string. It is useful when you need to retrieve the contents of a file as a string for further processing. - ob_get_contents: This function retrieves the contents of the output buffer. It is commonly used in output buffering to capture the output generated by PHP scripts. - include: This function includes and evaluates the specified file. It is used to include the contents of a file within another PHP file. To use file_get_contents to read a file into a string:
$file_contents = file_get_contents('example.txt');
echo $file_contents;
```
To use ob_get_contents to retrieve the contents of the output buffer:
```php
ob_start();
echo "Hello, World!";
$output = ob_get_contents();
ob_end_clean();
echo $output;
```
To use include to include and evaluate a file:
```php
include 'header.php';