Why is it recommended to avoid using sha256 for password hashing in PHP and what alternative methods should be considered?

Using sha256 for password hashing in PHP is not recommended because it is a fast hashing algorithm, making it vulnerable to brute force attacks. Instead, it is recommended to use stronger hashing algorithms like bcrypt or Argon2, which are specifically designed for securely hashing passwords.

// Using bcrypt for password hashing
$hashed_password = password_hash($password, PASSWORD_BCRYPT);

// Verifying the password
if (password_verify($password, $hashed_password)) {
    // Password is correct
} else {
    // Password is incorrect
}