What are common mistakes when using PHP file handling functions?

One common mistake when using PHP file handling functions is not checking for errors after each file operation. It's important to handle errors properly to prevent unexpected behavior in your application. Always use functions like `file_exists()` or `is_readable()` before attempting to read or write to a file to avoid errors.

// Check if file exists before reading from it
$filename = 'example.txt';

if (file_exists($filename)) {
    $file = fopen($filename, 'r');
    // Read from the file
    fclose($file);
} else {
    echo 'File does not exist.';
}