How to set HTTP header to UTF-8 using PHP which is valid in W3C validator

Checking if Headers Have Been Sent

if (!headers_sent()) {
    header('Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8'); // Asserting our royal decree
} else {
    // Evil sorcerers sent the Raven before us. Handle the usurpers here.
}
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This is like checking if your message in a bottle astonishingly found the sea before you could send it. It thwarts PHP's annoyance with setting headers after output has been pushed and ensures that our raven flies first with the correct message.

File Encoding: The Secret Scroll

Your PHP file needs to be saved like a wisely hidden secret scroll with the mystical key of UTF-8 encoding. Here's the spell:

• Invoke the ancient words Save with Encoding in your code conjurer's tome (Your editor!)
• Select the elixir of UTF-8 (making certain to avoid the curse of the BOM for wider compatibility).

Remember, conjuring character sets is serious art; never mix UTF-8 and ISO-8859-1 in your spell casting!

Database Interactions: The Treasure Chambers

Likewise, all interactions with your magical database chambers should speak the same tongue of UTF-8.

mysqli_set_charset($connection, "utf8");
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This spell sets the dialect, or use the incantation SET NAMES utf8 right when you open the chamber. Align your table and column charsets to utf8_unicode_ci for consistency across your treasury.

Your HTML Parchment Markup

In your HTML scrolls (files), don’t just rely on <meta charset="UTF-8"> for charset. We want our royal decree heard by the browser's king through the mouth of the trustworthy PHP jester.

Road Bumps and Potholes to Avoid

• Mixed Encoding Traffic Jam: Keep your content highway clean and uniform. UTF-8 should be the only vehicle on the road.
• Lost Header Directions: When using PHP frameworks, ensure they aren't misguiding your headers to a perilous path.
• The MIME Type Mirage: text/html is the correct MIME type for your HTML documents.

This UTF-8 journey should be smooth sailing – with no detours or diversions!

A Bard's Wise Counsels

• Be a good knight and keep your content in check with The W3C Markup Validation Service.
• Have your castle (server settings) default to UTF-8 encoding for text files.
• Employ the well-versed mbstring scholars from PHP for multibyte-safe string operations.