What potential pitfalls should be considered when using multiple str_replace() functions in PHP code?

When using multiple str_replace() functions in PHP code, potential pitfalls to consider include the order in which the replacements are applied and the possibility of unintentionally replacing previously replaced values. To avoid these issues, it is recommended to use an associative array with the original and replacement values as key-value pairs, and then loop through the array to perform the replacements in a single pass.

// Define an associative array with original and replacement values
$replacements = array(
    'apple' => 'orange',
    'banana' => 'grape',
    'cherry' => 'pear'
);

// Loop through the array and perform the replacements
$string = "I like apple, banana, and cherry.";
foreach($replacements as $original => $replacement) {
    $string = str_replace($original, $replacement, $string);
}

echo $string; // Output: I like orange, grape, and pear.