What are some common mistakes to avoid when working with file handling and sorting in PHP?

One common mistake to avoid when working with file handling and sorting in PHP is not properly checking if a file exists before trying to open or manipulate it. This can lead to errors or unexpected behavior if the file is not found. To solve this issue, always use functions like `file_exists()` to check if a file exists before attempting to work with it.

// Check if a file exists before opening it
$filename = 'example.txt';

if (file_exists($filename)) {
    $file = fopen($filename, 'r');
    // Perform file handling operations here
    fclose($file);
} else {
    echo "File does not exist.";
}