What are the best practices for naming variables in PHP, especially in relation to underscores?

When naming variables in PHP, it is recommended to use descriptive names that clearly convey the purpose of the variable. It is also a best practice to use camelCase for variable names, where the first word is lowercase and subsequent words are capitalized. Avoid using underscores in variable names, as they can make the code harder to read and maintain.

// Bad example using underscores in variable names
$first_name = "John";
$last_name = "Doe";

// Good example using camelCase for variable names
$firstName = "John";
$lastName = "Doe";