What role does data validation play in preventing registration form errors in PHP applications?

Data validation plays a crucial role in preventing registration form errors in PHP applications by ensuring that the data entered by users meets the specified criteria before it is processed. This helps to maintain data integrity, improve user experience, and prevent security vulnerabilities such as SQL injection attacks.

// Example of data validation in a registration form
$name = $_POST['name'];
$email = $_POST['email'];

if (empty($name) || empty($email)) {
    echo "Please fill in all required fields.";
} else {
    // Additional validation logic can be added here
    // Process the registration data
}