How can PHP developers optimize sorting functions to prevent timeouts when dealing with large arrays containing special characters?

When dealing with large arrays containing special characters, PHP developers can optimize sorting functions by using the `usort` function along with a custom comparison function that handles special characters properly. This can prevent timeouts by efficiently sorting the array without causing performance issues.

// Sample array containing special characters
$specialArray = ['apple', 'banana', 'cherry', 'déjà vu', 'éclair'];

// Custom comparison function to handle special characters
function specialCharsCompare($a, $b) {
    return strcoll($a, $b);
}

// Sort the array using the custom comparison function
usort($specialArray, 'specialCharsCompare');

// Output the sorted array
print_r($specialArray);