What are common pitfalls to watch out for when working with time calculations in PHP?
One common pitfall when working with time calculations in PHP is not considering time zones. It's important to always set the correct time zone to ensure accurate calculations and comparisons. You can set the default time zone using the `date_default_timezone_set()` function.
date_default_timezone_set('America/New_York');
```
Another common pitfall is not handling daylight saving time changes properly. To avoid issues related to daylight saving time, consider using the `DateTime` class, which automatically adjusts for DST changes.
```php
$date = new DateTime('2023-03-12', new DateTimeZone('America/New_York'));
```
Additionally, be cautious when performing calculations with dates and times, as PHP's date and time functions may not always behave as expected. It's recommended to use the `DateTime` class for accurate and reliable time calculations.
```php
$now = new DateTime();
$futureDate = $now->modify('+1 day');