In the provided PHP code, what best practices should be followed when handling string manipulation and byte calculations?

When handling string manipulation and byte calculations in PHP, it is important to use the mbstring functions for multibyte string operations to ensure proper handling of characters from various languages. Additionally, it is recommended to use the mb_strlen function to accurately calculate the length of a multibyte string in bytes. By following these best practices, you can avoid issues related to character encoding and ensure consistent behavior across different languages.

// Using mbstring functions for multibyte string operations
$string = "こんにちは";
$length = mb_strlen($string, 'UTF-8');
echo "Length of string in bytes: " . $length;