Knowing how to check file type in PHP is a crucial skill for web developers. PHP is a widely-used server-side scripting language, and being able to determine the type of a file is essential for tasks such as image processing, file uploads, and data validation. There are several ways to check file type in PHP, including using the fileinfo extension, the getimagesize() function, and the mime_content_type() function.
The fileinfo extension provides a comprehensive set of functions for determining the type of a file. The getimagesize() function is specifically designed for checking the type of an image file, and it returns an array of information about the image, including its width, height, and mime type. The mime_content_type() function can be used to check the mime type of a file, which is a standardized way of identifying the type of data contained in a file.