What are the advantages of storing timestamps in variables for consistent date and time handling in PHP?

Storing timestamps in variables allows for consistent date and time handling in PHP by providing a standardized format for storing and manipulating date and time data. This approach helps avoid potential inconsistencies that can arise when working with dates and times in different formats throughout a PHP application.

// Storing current timestamp in a variable
$currentTimestamp = time();

// Storing a specific timestamp in a variable
$specificTimestamp = strtotime('2022-01-01 00:00:00');

// Using the stored timestamps for date and time calculations
echo date('Y-m-d H:i:s', $currentTimestamp);
echo date('Y-m-d H:i:s', $specificTimestamp);