What are the potential pitfalls of using short tags like "<?" instead of "<?php" in PHP scripts?

Using short tags like "<?" instead of "<?php" can lead to compatibility issues with servers that have short tags disabled. It can also cause confusion for developers who are not familiar with short tags, leading to errors or unexpected behavior in the code. To avoid these pitfalls, it is recommended to always use "<?php" to ensure maximum portability and readability of your PHP scripts.

&lt;?php
// Code snippet using &quot;&lt;?php&quot; instead of short tags &quot;&lt;?&quot;
echo &quot;Hello, World!&quot;;
?&gt;