What are the best practices for initializing variables like $this in PHP scripts to avoid fatal errors?

When initializing variables like $this in PHP scripts, it is important to ensure that they are properly initialized before being used to avoid fatal errors. One common practice is to check if the variable is set using isset() before accessing its properties or methods. This helps prevent undefined variable errors and ensures that the code runs smoothly.

class MyClass {
    private $property;

    public function __construct() {
        if (!isset($this->property)) {
            $this->property = 'initialized';
        }
    }
}

$instance = new MyClass();
echo $instance->property;