What are the potential risks of using the '@' operator to suppress errors in PHP code?

Using the '@' operator to suppress errors in PHP code can lead to hidden bugs and make debugging more challenging. It is generally considered a bad practice as it masks potential issues in the code. Instead, it is recommended to handle errors gracefully using try-catch blocks or proper error handling mechanisms.

try {
    // code that may throw an error
} catch (Exception $e) {
    // handle the error gracefully
}