In PHP, how can the use of curly braces {} enhance code readability and prevent unexpected behavior in conditional statements?

Using curly braces {} in conditional statements in PHP enhances code readability and prevents unexpected behavior by clearly defining the scope of the code block that should be executed when the condition is true. Without curly braces, only the next statement after the condition is considered part of the block, which can lead to confusion and bugs. By using curly braces, we explicitly define the boundaries of the code block, making it easier to understand and maintain the code.

// Without curly braces
if ($condition)
    echo "This will only be executed if the condition is true";
    echo "This will always be executed, regardless of the condition";

// With curly braces
if ($condition) {
    echo "This will only be executed if the condition is true";
    echo "This will only be executed if the condition is true";
}