How can PHP beginners effectively utilize the date() function to display dates in a specific format?

When using the date() function in PHP, beginners can effectively display dates in a specific format by specifying the desired format within the function. This can be achieved by providing a format string that includes placeholders for different date and time components, such as day, month, year, hour, minute, and second.

// Display the current date in the format: Month Day, Year
echo date("F j, Y");

// Display the current date and time in the format: Day-Month-Year Hour:Minute:Second
echo date("d-m-Y H:i:s");