What is the difference between using single quotes ('') and double quotes ("") in PHP code?

In PHP, single quotes ('') and double quotes ("") are used to define strings. The main difference between the two is that double quotes allow for the interpretation of variables and special characters within the string, while single quotes treat everything literally. When using double quotes, variables will be replaced with their values, whereas single quotes will display the variable name itself. It is important to choose the appropriate type of quotes based on whether you need variable interpolation or not. Example PHP code snippet:

$name = "Alice";
echo "Hello, $name!"; // Output: Hello, Alice!

$name = "Alice";
echo 'Hello, $name!'; // Output: Hello, $name!