In PHP development, what are the considerations for choosing between using integer or string data types for values like postal codes?

When choosing between using integer or string data types for values like postal codes in PHP development, it is important to consider whether the postal codes will be used for mathematical operations. If the postal codes are purely identifiers and not intended for calculations, using a string data type is more appropriate as it can accommodate alphanumeric characters and leading zeros, which are common in postal codes.

// Using string data type for postal codes
$postalCode = "12345";
echo $postalCode;