What are the potential pitfalls of relying on external support for PHP scripts?

Relying on external support for PHP scripts can lead to potential pitfalls such as security vulnerabilities, compatibility issues with future updates, and reliance on third-party services that may change or become unavailable. To mitigate these risks, it is recommended to thoroughly review and understand any external code before integrating it into your project, regularly update and maintain the code to address any security concerns, and consider implementing fallback options in case the external support is no longer available.

// Example of implementing a fallback option for external support in PHP script

// Check if the external support is available
if (function_exists('external_function')) {
    // Use the external function
    external_function();
} else {
    // Fallback option if external support is not available
    // Implement alternative functionality here
}