How can the strict comparison operator (===) be beneficial when working with if statements in PHP?

Using the strict comparison operator (===) in PHP can be beneficial when working with if statements because it not only checks if the values are equal but also ensures that the data types are the same. This can help prevent unexpected type coercion and ensure more accurate comparisons in your code.

$var1 = 5;
$var2 = "5";

if ($var1 === $var2) {
    echo "The values are equal and of the same data type.";
} else {
    echo "The values are not equal or not of the same data type.";
}