In the context of PHP loops, why is it recommended not to use the loop variable as the counting variable?

Using the loop variable as the counting variable in PHP loops can lead to unexpected behavior or errors due to the way PHP handles variable scoping. To avoid this issue, it is recommended to use a separate variable for counting within the loop. 

// Incorrect way of using the loop variable as the counting variable
for ($i = 0; $i < 5; $i++) {
    echo "Loop iteration: $i <br>";
}

// Correct way of using a separate counting variable
$count = 0;
for ($i = 0; $i < 5; $i++) {
    $count++;
    echo "Loop iteration: $count <br>";
}

Keywords

PHP loops counting variable variable scope potential bugs

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