In what situations is it recommended to use a debugger tool instead of relying on echo statements for debugging PHP code?

When dealing with complex or nested code structures, it can be more efficient to use a debugger tool instead of scattering echo statements throughout the code. Debuggers allow for step-by-step execution, variable inspection, and breakpoints, making it easier to pinpoint and fix issues in the code.

// Example code snippet using a debugger tool (Xdebug)
// Install Xdebug extension and configure your IDE for debugging

function calculateSum($a, $b) {
    $sum = $a + $b;
    
    // Set a breakpoint here to inspect variables
    return $sum;
}

$x = 5;
$y = 10;
$result = calculateSum($x, $y);

echo $result;