How can the use of @ to suppress error messages impact the functionality of PHP code?

Using "@" to suppress error messages in PHP can impact the functionality of the code because it hides any potential errors or warnings that could help identify bugs or issues in the code. Instead of suppressing errors, it's better to handle them properly by using try-catch blocks or error handling functions to ensure that any issues are addressed and resolved.

try {
    // code that may throw an error
} catch (Exception $e) {
    // handle the error here
}