What are the advantages of using PHP functions like date() and mktime() for date manipulation in scripts?

When working with dates in PHP scripts, using built-in functions like date() and mktime() can simplify date manipulation tasks by providing easy-to-use functions for formatting and creating dates. These functions handle common date operations such as formatting dates, calculating timestamps, and manipulating dates with ease.

// Example of using date() and mktime() functions for date manipulation
$currentDate = date("Y-m-d"); // Get the current date in the format YYYY-MM-DD
$nextWeek = date("Y-m-d", mktime(0, 0, 0, date("m"), date("d") + 7, date("Y"))); // Get the date for next week
echo "Current Date: " . $currentDate . "<br>";
echo "Next Week: " . $nextWeek;