What are the potential pitfalls of using .htaccess for SEO URL manipulation in PHP?

Potential pitfalls of using .htaccess for SEO URL manipulation in PHP include the lack of flexibility and scalability, as well as potential conflicts with other server configurations. To address these issues, it is recommended to handle URL manipulation within the PHP code itself using a routing system. This allows for more control over the URLs and easier maintenance in the long run.

// Example of a basic routing system in PHP
$request_uri = $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'];

switch ($request_uri) {
    case '/about':
        include 'about.php';
        break;
    case '/contact':
        include 'contact.php';
        break;
    default:
        include '404.php';
        break;
}