How can meaningful variable names improve code readability and maintainability in PHP projects?

Meaningful variable names can improve code readability and maintainability in PHP projects by making the purpose of the variables clear to other developers who may read or work on the code in the future. Descriptive variable names can help reduce confusion and make it easier to understand the logic of the code. By using meaningful names, developers can quickly grasp the intention of the variables and make changes or updates more efficiently.

// Bad variable naming
$a = 10;
$b = 20;
$c = $a + $b;
echo $c;

// Good variable naming
$firstNumber = 10;
$secondNumber = 20;
$sum = $firstNumber + $secondNumber;
echo $sum;