What are the advantages of using PHP's built-in string functions over regular expressions for string manipulation?

When it comes to string manipulation in PHP, using built-in string functions can be more efficient and easier to read than using regular expressions. Built-in functions like `substr()`, `str_replace()`, and `explode()` provide specific functionality for common string operations, making the code more straightforward and maintainable. Regular expressions, while powerful, can be complex and harder to understand for those unfamiliar with them.

// Example of using built-in string functions to manipulate a string
$string = "Hello, World!";
$newString = str_replace("Hello", "Hi", $string);
echo $newString;