What are some common challenges when calculating time intervals in PHP, especially in dynamic scenarios?

One common challenge when calculating time intervals in PHP, especially in dynamic scenarios, is handling time zones correctly. To ensure accurate calculations, it's essential to set the appropriate time zone before performing any date/time operations. This can prevent discrepancies and errors that may arise when working with dates and times across different time zones.

// Set the default time zone to UTC before performing any date/time calculations
date_default_timezone_set('UTC');

// Example of calculating a time interval in PHP
$startTime = new DateTime('2022-01-01 12:00:00');
$endTime = new DateTime('2022-01-01 15:30:00');

$interval = $startTime->diff($endTime);

echo "Time interval: " . $interval->format('%H:%I:%S');