Sending Emails in PHP (SMTP, Safer Than mail())

PHP has a built-in `mail()`, but many production servers block it or mark emails as spam. Professional apps use SMTP via libraries like: - PHPMailer - Symfony Mailer ## Why SMTP is better - authenticated sending - better deliverability - attachments + HTML emails - clearer error handling ## High-level PHPMailer idea (example) ```php // composer require phpmailer/phpmailer // Then use SMTP host, username, password, and send. ``` ## Best practice Never store SMTP passwords in code. Use environment variables. > Next: Background jobs, queues, and why you should not send emails inside web requests for heavy apps.