What are the differences between include() and require() in PHP

In PHP, both include() and require() are used to incorporate files into your script, but they have important differences:

  • Behavior on Failure: If the file specified in require() cannot be found, it will produce a fatal error and stop the script. On the other hand, include() will emit a warning but the script will continue executing.
  • Use Cases: Use require() when the file is essential for the application to run, and include() when the file is optional.

Here is an example illustrating the differences:

// Example of include() include 'somefile.php'; // Will produce a warning if somefile.php doesn't exist. // Example of require() require 'essentialfile.php'; // Will produce a fatal error and stop execution if essentialfile.php doesn't exist.

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