How can PHP developers ensure that date comparisons are done correctly to avoid errors?

When comparing dates in PHP, it is important to ensure that the dates are in the correct format and timezone to avoid errors. One way to do this is by using the DateTime class to create DateTime objects for the dates being compared. This allows for accurate date comparisons regardless of timezone differences.

$date1 = new DateTime('2022-01-01');
$date2 = new DateTime('2022-01-15');

if ($date1 < $date2) {
    echo "Date 1 is before Date 2";
} elseif ($date1 > $date2) {
    echo "Date 1 is after Date 2";
} else {
    echo "Date 1 is the same as Date 2";
}