What best practices should be followed when combining PHP and JavaScript for interactive elements?

When combining PHP and JavaScript for interactive elements, it's important to separate server-side logic (PHP) from client-side logic (JavaScript) to ensure a smooth user experience. One best practice is to use AJAX to communicate between the two languages, allowing for dynamic updates without refreshing the page. Additionally, consider using JSON to pass data between PHP and JavaScript to maintain consistency and readability in your code.

<?php
// PHP code to process data and return JSON response
$data = array('message' => 'Hello, world!');
echo json_encode($data);
?>