How can PHP beginners avoid common errors like variable initialization and handling undefined variables in their code?

One common error for PHP beginners is not initializing variables before using them, which can lead to undefined variable errors. To avoid this, always declare variables before using them and assign default values if needed. Additionally, use isset() or empty() functions to check if a variable is set before using it to prevent undefined variable errors.

// Example of initializing variables and handling undefined variables
$name = "John Doe"; // initialize variable with a default value

if(isset($name)){
    echo "Hello, $name!";
} else {
    echo "Name is not set.";
}