What are the key benefits of using JSON as a standardized data interchange format in PHP development?

Using JSON as a standardized data interchange format in PHP development allows for easy serialization and deserialization of data, making it simple to transfer data between different systems. JSON is lightweight, human-readable, and widely supported, making it a popular choice for data exchange. Additionally, JSON is language-independent, meaning it can be easily used with other programming languages.

// Example of encoding data to JSON format
$data = array('name' => 'John Doe', 'age' => 30);
$jsonData = json_encode($data);

// Example of decoding JSON data
$decodedData = json_decode($jsonData, true);

// Output decoded data
print_r($decodedData);