What common mistakes can occur when using the sprintf function in PHP, and how can they be avoided?

Common mistakes when using the sprintf function in PHP include not properly escaping special characters, not providing enough placeholders for the variables passed, and not using the correct format specifiers for the variables. To avoid these mistakes, always escape special characters with double percent signs (%%), ensure that the number of placeholders matches the number of variables passed, and use the correct format specifiers (%s for strings, %d for integers, etc.).

// Correctly using sprintf with proper escaping and format specifiers
$name = "Alice";
$age = 25;

// Use %s for strings and %d for integers
$formattedString = sprintf("Hello, my name is %s and I am %d years old.", $name, $age);

echo $formattedString;