What are the fundamental concepts to understand when working with time functions in PHP?

When working with time functions in PHP, it is essential to understand concepts such as timestamps, time zones, formatting dates, and manipulating dates and times. It is important to be aware of the differences between local time and UTC time and how to convert between them. Additionally, understanding how to calculate time differences and intervals accurately is crucial for working with time functions effectively.

// Example of converting a date from one timezone to another
$date = new DateTime('2022-01-01 12:00:00', new DateTimeZone('America/New_York'));
$date->setTimezone(new DateTimeZone('Asia/Tokyo'));
echo $date->format('Y-m-d H:i:s');