What are some potential pitfalls of relying solely on PHP handbooks for learning the language, and what alternative resources are recommended?

Relying solely on PHP handbooks for learning the language may limit your understanding to theoretical knowledge without practical application. To overcome this, it's recommended to supplement handbook learning with hands-on coding exercises, tutorials, and real-world projects to deepen your understanding and improve your skills.

// Example of supplementing handbook learning with hands-on coding exercises
<?php

// Define a simple function to calculate the square of a number
function calculateSquare($num) {
    return $num * $num;
}

// Call the function and output the result
$number = 5;
echo "The square of $number is " . calculateSquare($number);

?>