What is the difference between using fopen() and include/require in PHP for reading and executing PHP code?

When using fopen() in PHP to read and execute PHP code, you are essentially reading the contents of a file and then evaluating it as PHP code. On the other hand, using include/require in PHP directly includes and executes the PHP code from the specified file. The main difference is that fopen() gives you more control over how the file is read and executed, while include/require is a more straightforward way to include and execute PHP code. 

// Using fopen() to read and execute PHP code
$file = fopen("example.php", "r");
while(!feof($file)) {
    $line = fgets($file);
    eval($line);
}
fclose($file);

// Using include to directly execute PHP code
include "example.php";

Keywords

fopen include require reading executing

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