The `parse_str()` function in PHP parses a query string into variables. In PHP 8.2, this function works similarly to previous versions, but it's important to note some security considerations and best practices.PHP 8.PHP 8.1,PHP 8.2,PHP 8.3 and PHP 8.4.

Basic Usage<?php$queryString = "name=John&age=30&city=New+York";// Without second parameter (variables created in current scope)parse_str($queryString);echo $name; // Output: Johnecho $age; // Output: 30echo $city; // Output: New York?>

Output:Array([name] => John[age] => 30[city] => New York[hobbies] => Array([0] => reading[1] => swimming))

Security Considerations1. Always use the second parameter** to avoid creating variables in the current scope unexpectedly.2. Validate and sanitize input** when using data from query strings.3. In PHP 8.2, consider using `filter_input()` or `parse_url()` combined with `parse_str()` for more secure URL handling.

PHP 8.2 Example with URL<?php$url = "https://example.com/page.php?product_id=123&category=books&price=19.99";// Extract the query string$queryString = parse_url($url, PHP_URL_QUERY);// Parse the query string safely$params = [];if ($queryString !== null) {parse_str($queryString, $params);}print_r($params);?>

Remember that `parse_str()` is primarily designed for parsing URL query strings, not for general string parsing tasks.