How does the use of defined() function in PHP help in handling constant values and what advantages does it offer over direct comparisons?

The defined() function in PHP helps in handling constant values by checking if a constant is defined or not. This is particularly useful when dealing with constants that may not be defined in certain situations, preventing errors in the code. Using defined() offers advantages over direct comparisons because it provides a more robust and cleaner way to check the existence of constants.

if (defined('MY_CONSTANT')) {
    // Constant is defined, proceed with using it
    echo MY_CONSTANT;
} else {
    // Constant is not defined, handle the situation accordingly
    echo "Constant is not defined";
}