What are common issues when comparing dates in PHP, and how can they be avoided?

One common issue when comparing dates in PHP is that different date formats can cause unexpected results. To avoid this, it's recommended to use the DateTime class to ensure consistent date handling.

$date1 = new DateTime('2021-01-01');
$date2 = new DateTime('2021-01-15');

if ($date1 < $date2) {
    echo "Date 1 is before Date 2";
} elseif ($date1 > $date2) {
    echo "Date 1 is after Date 2";
} else {
    echo "Date 1 is equal to Date 2";
}