How can PHP developers effectively debug issues related to variable manipulation in PHP code?

To effectively debug issues related to variable manipulation in PHP code, developers can use debugging tools like var_dump() or print_r() to display the current state of variables at different points in the code. They can also use error reporting functions like error_reporting() to catch any warnings or notices related to variable manipulation. Additionally, using step-through debugging in an integrated development environment (IDE) can help track the flow of variables and identify any issues.

// Example code snippet demonstrating the use of var_dump() for debugging variable manipulation
$variable = "Hello";
var_dump($variable);

// Manipulate the variable
$variable .= " World";
var_dump($variable);