What are the recommended approaches for integrating date and time functions in PHP scripts to ensure accurate output?

When integrating date and time functions in PHP scripts, it is important to set the correct timezone to ensure accurate output. This can be done using the date_default_timezone_set() function. Additionally, using functions like date() and strtotime() can help manipulate dates and times effectively.

// Set the timezone to the desired location
date_default_timezone_set('America/New_York');

// Get the current date and time
$currentDateTime = date('Y-m-d H:i:s');

// Display the current date and time
echo $currentDateTime;