What are the best practices for debugging PHP code effectively?

To debug PHP code effectively, it is important to use tools like var_dump(), print_r(), and error_log() to output the values of variables and debug messages. Additionally, using an IDE with debugging capabilities can help step through code and identify issues more easily. Finally, utilizing error reporting settings in PHP.ini and checking log files for errors can also aid in debugging.

<?php
// Example code snippet for debugging PHP code
ini_set('display_errors', 1);
ini_set('display_startup_errors', 1);
error_reporting(E_ALL);

// Sample code with debugging statements
$variable = "Hello World";
var_dump($variable);

// Additional debug statements
$error_message = "An error occurred!";
error_log($error_message);
?>