What is the purpose of using ob_start() and ob_get_contents() in PHP?

When working with PHP, the ob_start() function is used to turn on output buffering. This allows you to capture and manipulate the output before it is sent to the browser. The ob_get_contents() function is then used to retrieve the contents of the output buffer without sending it to the browser. This can be useful for processing or modifying output before displaying it to the user. 

<?php
ob_start();

// Output some content
echo "Hello, World!";

// Get the contents of the output buffer
$output = ob_get_contents();

// Manipulate the output if needed
$output = str_replace("World", "PHP", $output);

// Display the modified output
echo $output;

// Clear the output buffer
ob_end_clean();
?>

Keywords

ob_start ob_get_contents output buffering PHP buffering output

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