What are the differences between using <? and <?php in PHP code?

The use of <? and <?php in PHP code is a matter of personal preference and server configuration. The <?php opening tag is the standard way to begin a PHP code block and is recommended for maximum compatibility. However, if short tags are enabled in the PHP configuration, you can use the <? tag as well. It is best practice to always use <?php to ensure consistent behavior across different servers.

&lt;?php
// This is a PHP code block using the standard &lt;?php opening tag
echo &quot;Hello, World!&quot;;
?&gt;