How can PHP developers effectively troubleshoot issues related to replacing specific search terms in a file, such as ensuring the correct variables are used in str_replace and file_put_contents functions?

When replacing specific search terms in a file using PHP functions like str_replace and file_put_contents, it's crucial to ensure that the correct variables are used. To effectively troubleshoot any issues, developers should double-check the variable values being passed to these functions and verify that the file paths are correct.

<?php
$search = 'old_term';
$replace = 'new_term';
$file_path = 'path/to/file.txt';

$content = file_get_contents($file_path);
$content = str_replace($search, $replace, $content);
file_put_contents($file_path, $content);
?>