What is the difference between using file() and file_get_contents() in PHP when reading serialized data from a file?

When reading serialized data from a file in PHP, it is recommended to use file_get_contents() instead of file(). This is because file_get_contents() reads the entire file into a string, while file() reads the file into an array, which may not be suitable for serialized data. Using file() could lead to issues with unserialization due to extra characters like newlines being added to the serialized data.

// Using file_get_contents() to read serialized data from a file
$data = file_get_contents('serialized_data.txt');
$unserialized_data = unserialize($data);