What are the advantages of using the DateTime class in PHP for handling date and time operations compared to traditional methods?

When handling date and time operations in PHP, using the DateTime class provides a more object-oriented approach compared to traditional methods like strtotime() or date(). The DateTime class offers a wide range of methods for manipulating and formatting dates and times, making it easier to perform complex operations and calculations. Additionally, the DateTime class is more reliable and consistent across different environments, as it takes timezones and daylight saving time into account automatically.

// Using the DateTime class to get the current date and time
$now = new DateTime();
echo $now->format('Y-m-d H:i:s');