In what ways can the use of json_decode in PHP impact the functionality of scripts that interact with APIs like Hitbox.tv?

Using json_decode in PHP can impact the functionality of scripts that interact with APIs like Hitbox.tv if the JSON response is not properly formatted or contains errors. To ensure the script can handle these situations, it's important to check the return value of json_decode and handle any potential errors or exceptions that may occur.

$response = json_decode($api_response, true);

if ($response === null && json_last_error() !== JSON_ERROR_NONE) {
    // Handle JSON decoding error
    echo "Error decoding JSON: " . json_last_error_msg();
} else {
    // Proceed with processing the decoded JSON data
    // Example: accessing a specific value from the decoded data
    $stream_title = $response['livestream'][0]['media_title'];
    echo $stream_title;
}