How can the use of the "@" symbol before include statements affect error handling in PHP, and when should it be avoided?

Using the "@" symbol before include statements suppresses any errors or warnings that may occur during the inclusion of a file. While this can prevent error messages from being displayed to users, it can also make debugging more difficult as issues may go unnoticed. It is generally recommended to avoid using "@" before include statements to ensure proper error handling and debugging in PHP.

// Avoid using "@" before include statements for proper error handling
include 'file.php';