What are the potential pitfalls of using the eval() function in PHP?

Using the eval() function in PHP can be potentially dangerous as it allows for the execution of arbitrary code, which can lead to security vulnerabilities such as code injection attacks. To avoid these pitfalls, it is recommended to avoid using eval() whenever possible and instead find alternative solutions that do not involve executing dynamic code.

// Avoid using eval() function
$code = "echo 'Hello World';";
eval($code); // This is not recommended

// Safer alternative using a switch statement
$code = "hello";
switch($code) {
    case "hello":
        echo "Hello World";
        break;
    default:
        echo "Default message";
}