Why is my PHP file_get_contents() failing to retrieve external URLs?

PHP ini file_get_contents Issue with External URL

The file_get_contents() function allows PHP to retrieve the contents of a file, including those located on external URLs. However, in certain cases, users may encounter an issue where the function returns an empty result when trying to access an external URL.

Possible PHP.ini Configuration Conflicts

This issue could be related to PHP.ini configurations, specifically those that limit external URL access. To determine the source of the problem, it is necessary to identify the relevant configuration options:

• allow_url_fopen: This option controls whether PHP can open URLs. Check if it is set to 0 (disabled), which would prevent the function from accessing external content.
• allow_url_include: Similar to allow_url_fopen, this option allows PHP to read files from URLs. Ensure that it is set to 1 (enabled).
• safe_mode: Safe mode restricts certain PHP features, including URL access. Verify that safe mode is disabled (set to Off) in php.ini.

Alternative Approach: Using cURL

If modifying PHP.ini settings is not an option, a workaround is to use the cURL library to mimic the functionality of file_get_contents():

function get_content($URL){
      $ch = curl_init();
      curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, 1);
      curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $URL);
      $data = curl_exec($ch);
      curl_close($ch);
      return $data;
}

echo get_content('http://example.com');

This function initializes a cURL handle, sets necessary options, and executes the request, returning the contents of the specified URL.

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