What are the key considerations when working with tabs in PHP scripts and handling URL calls?

When working with tabs in PHP scripts and handling URL calls, it is important to properly sanitize and validate the tab parameter to prevent any potential security vulnerabilities such as SQL injection or cross-site scripting attacks. Additionally, it is crucial to handle URL calls securely to ensure that only valid tabs are accessed and processed.

// Sanitize and validate the tab parameter
$tab = isset($_GET['tab']) ? filter_var($_GET['tab'], FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING) : 'default_tab';

// Define an array of valid tabs
$valid_tabs = ['tab1', 'tab2', 'tab3'];

// Check if the tab parameter is valid
if (!in_array($tab, $valid_tabs)) {
    // Handle invalid tab parameter, redirect to default tab
    header("Location: /your_page.php?tab=default_tab");
    exit;
}

// Process the tab parameter
switch ($tab) {
    case 'tab1':
        // Handle tab1 logic
        break;
    case 'tab2':
        // Handle tab2 logic
        break;
    case 'tab3':
        // Handle tab3 logic
        break;
    default:
        // Handle default tab logic
        break;
}