What are the security implications of mixing PHP and JavaScript in web applications, and how can developers mitigate potential risks?

Mixing PHP and JavaScript in web applications can introduce security vulnerabilities such as cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks if not handled properly. To mitigate these risks, developers should ensure that user input is properly sanitized and validated before being outputted in JavaScript code to prevent malicious scripts from being injected.

<?php
// Sanitize user input before using it in JavaScript
$user_input = htmlspecialchars($_POST['user_input'], ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');
?>

<script>
// Use the sanitized user input in JavaScript code
var userInput = "<?php echo $user_input; ?>";
</script>