What are the best practices for debugging PHP code instead of using echo statements?

Using echo statements for debugging PHP code can be messy and difficult to manage, especially in larger projects. Instead, it is recommended to use a proper debugging tool like Xdebug. Xdebug allows for step-by-step debugging, setting breakpoints, inspecting variables, and more, making the debugging process much more efficient and effective.

// Example of debugging with Xdebug
// Install Xdebug extension for PHP and configure your IDE to work with it

// Set a breakpoint in your code where you want to start debugging
function myFunction($param) {
    $result = $param * 2;
    return $result;
}

$number = 5;
$result = myFunction($number);

// Start debugging using your IDE with Xdebug enabled
// You can step through the code, inspect variables, and more