Hi everyone,

I?m working on a small project where I need to set up a basic PHP backend to handle form submissions, particularly for a contact form. I?ve managed to build the front end, but I?m stuck on the backend part. I?m looking for some guidance on the best practices for processing form data in PHP and ensuring it gets sent to my email securely.

Here?s what I need help with:

Form Validation: What are the essential checks I should implement before sending the form data to my email? I want to make sure the data is clean and valid.

Email Sending: I?m planning to use PHP?s mail() function for now. Are there any other recommended methods or libraries to handle email sending more securely and reliably?

Security Concerns: What steps can I take to secure the form against things like injection attacks, spam, or bots? I?ve heard about using CAPTCHA, but I?m unsure about the best way to implement it.

Best Practices: Any other best practices or resources I should be aware of when working with PHP and form submissions?

I?ve tried searching the forum for similar questions but haven?t found much. Any help or code examples would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your time!