Is using "@" to suppress error messages considered a best practice in PHP programming?

Using "@" to suppress error messages is generally not considered a best practice in PHP programming. It can make debugging more difficult, as it hides potential issues in the code that should be addressed. Instead, it is recommended to handle errors properly using try-catch blocks or error handling functions.

// Example of using try-catch block to handle errors
try {
    // code that may throw an error
} catch (Exception $e) {
    // handle the error
    echo "An error occurred: " . $e->getMessage();
}