How can PHP developers ensure that their code is both functional and understandable by taking the time to understand and not just copy-paste solutions from forums?

To ensure that PHP code is both functional and understandable, developers should take the time to understand the problem they are trying to solve and not just copy-paste solutions from forums. This involves breaking down the problem into smaller parts, researching best practices, and testing the code thoroughly before implementing it.

// Example code snippet demonstrating the importance of understanding and not just copy-pasting solutions
function calculateSum($num1, $num2) {
    // Ensure that $num1 and $num2 are numeric values before performing any calculations
    if (is_numeric($num1) && is_numeric($num2)) {
        return $num1 + $num2;
    } else {
        return "Error: Invalid input. Please provide numeric values.";
    }
}

// Example usage of the calculateSum function
$result = calculateSum(10, 20);
echo $result; // Output: 30