Why is it recommended to have a solid understanding of the mail standard before using the mail() function in PHP?

It is recommended to have a solid understanding of the mail standard before using the mail() function in PHP to ensure that emails are sent correctly and securely. Without this understanding, there is a risk of misconfiguring the function, leading to emails not being delivered or being marked as spam. By familiarizing oneself with the mail standard, one can ensure that emails are formatted correctly and meet the necessary requirements for successful delivery.

// Example PHP code snippet with proper email headers and content
$to = "recipient@example.com";
$subject = "Test Email";
$message = "This is a test email.";
$headers = "From: sender@example.com\r\n";
$headers .= "Reply-To: sender@example.com\r\n";
$headers .= "MIME-Version: 1.0\r\n";
$headers .= "Content-type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1\r\n";

mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers);