**Security Best Practices:**

- Never include hardcoded secrets, passwords, or API keys in code
- Validate and sanitize all user inputs
- Use parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection
- Implement proper authentication and authorization
- Follow OWASP Top 10 security guidelines
- Use HTTPS and secure communication protocols
- Implement rate limiting for APIs
- Log security events but never log sensitive data
- Keep dependencies updated and scan for vulnerabilities
