Escape HTML to PHP or Use Echo? Which is better?

Question

In terms of performance , what would be better. Using PHP to echo all the HTML output so I can pepper it with the various bits of working code and variables or escape HTML t

Answer 1

I don't know about the performance of this, but within PHP you can also use what I believe is called a "Heredoc", which I think helps with readability within this sort of output.

Nickf's example:

<table>
    <tr>
        <td colspan="<?php echo $numCols; ?>">
            <?php echo $a; ?>, <?php echo $b; ?>, and <?php echo $c?>
        </td>
    </tr>
</table>

becomes:

<?php
echo <<<EOT
<table>
    <tr>
        <td colspan="$numCols">
            $a , $b, and  $c
        </td>
    </tr>
</table>

EOT;

?>

I do believe that ultimately readability is a subjective thing, so your mileage may vary!

Ruth