What is the significance of using set_time_limit(0) in PHP scripts, and how can it affect file downloads?

Using set_time_limit(0) in PHP scripts removes the time limit for script execution, allowing long-running scripts to continue indefinitely. This can be useful for tasks like file downloads that may take a significant amount of time to complete. However, it's important to use this function judiciously to prevent potential performance issues or resource exhaustion on the server.

// Set no time limit for script execution
set_time_limit(0);

// Code for file download
$file = 'example.txt';
header('Content-Description: File Transfer');
header('Content-Type: application/octet-stream');
header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="'.basename($file).'"');
readfile($file);
exit;