What best practices should be followed when including PHP files within HTML files?

When including PHP files within HTML files, it is important to follow best practices to ensure security and maintainability. One common approach is to use the `include` or `require` functions in PHP to include the external file within the HTML file. This helps to keep the code organized and easily maintainable. Additionally, it is recommended to store sensitive information in a separate configuration file and include it using PHP to prevent exposing sensitive data in the HTML file.

<?php
// Include external PHP file within HTML file
include 'path/to/external/file.php';
?>