What are the potential pitfalls of using more complex PHP functions like preg_match() for string searching?

Using more complex PHP functions like preg_match() for string searching can lead to decreased performance and increased complexity in your code. It may also make your code harder to maintain and debug. To solve this, consider using simpler string functions like strpos() or strstr() for basic string searching tasks.

// Using strpos() for simple string searching
$string = "Hello, World!";
$substring = "Hello";

if(strpos($string, $substring) !== false){
    echo "Substring found in the string.";
} else {
    echo "Substring not found in the string.";
}