How can developers configure error logging settings in the php.ini file or through .htaccess to manage error messages more efficiently?

Developers can configure error logging settings in the php.ini file or through .htaccess to manage error messages more efficiently by setting the error_reporting directive to display or log specific types of errors. This allows developers to control which errors are displayed to users and which are logged for debugging purposes.

```php
// Display all errors except notices
error_reporting(E_ALL & ~E_NOTICE);
```
This code snippet sets the error_reporting level to display all errors except notices. This can be adjusted to show or hide different types of errors based on the developer's preferences.