Why is using preg_replace_callback recommended over the /e flag in PHP for this specific scenario?

Using preg_replace_callback is recommended over the /e flag in PHP for this specific scenario because preg_replace_callback allows you to define a custom callback function to process the matched string, providing more flexibility and control over the replacement process. This approach is safer and more maintainable compared to using the /e flag, which executes the replacement as PHP code and can pose security risks if the input is not properly sanitized. 

$text = "Hello, my name is [name]!";
$replaced_text = preg_replace_callback('/\[(.*?)\]/', function($matches){
    return strtoupper($matches[1]);
}, $text);

echo $replaced_text;

Keywords

preg_replace_callback /e flag PHP regex security

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