What are some common issues with handling time zones and daylight saving time in PHP applications?

One common issue with handling time zones and daylight saving time in PHP applications is ensuring that the correct time zone is set for the application and that daylight saving time changes are accounted for. One way to solve this is by using the DateTime class in PHP, which allows for easy manipulation of dates and times while considering time zones and daylight saving time.

// Set the default time zone for the application
date_default_timezone_set('America/New_York');

// Create a new DateTime object with the current date and time
$now = new DateTime();

// Format the date and time according to the desired output
echo $now->format('Y-m-d H:i:s');