Are there best practices for understanding and troubleshooting unfamiliar code in PHP?

When faced with unfamiliar PHP code, it is helpful to start by identifying the main components of the code, such as functions, classes, and variables. Additionally, reviewing any comments or documentation within the code can provide valuable insights. To troubleshoot issues, consider using debugging tools like var_dump() or print_r() to inspect variables and their values at different points in the code. Finally, breaking down the code into smaller parts and testing each section individually can help pinpoint where the problem lies.

// Example PHP code snippet for troubleshooting unfamiliar code
// Assume $unfamiliarCode is the variable containing the unfamiliar code

// Inspect the variable using var_dump()
var_dump($unfamiliarCode);

// Break down the code into smaller parts and test each section
// For example, if $unfamiliarCode is a function, test it with sample inputs
$result = $unfamiliarCode($sampleInput);

// Use print_r() to further analyze the output
print_r($result);