What best practices should be followed when debugging PHP code?

When debugging PHP code, it is essential to follow best practices such as using error reporting, logging errors, and utilizing debugging tools like Xdebug. By enabling error reporting, you can easily identify and fix any syntax errors or runtime issues in your code. Logging errors to a file or outputting them to the browser can help track down bugs and understand what went wrong. Lastly, using a debugging tool like Xdebug can provide detailed information about the code execution flow, variables, and function calls, making it easier to pinpoint and resolve issues.

// Enable error reporting
error_reporting(E_ALL);
ini_set('display_errors', 1);

// Log errors to a file
ini_set('log_errors', 1);
ini_set('error_log', '/path/to/error.log');

// Use Xdebug for debugging
// Install Xdebug extension and configure it in php.ini
// Enable remote debugging and set breakpoints in your IDE