What is the significance of encoding files in "UTF-8 without BOM" when working with PHP?

When working with PHP, encoding files in "UTF-8 without BOM" is significant because it ensures that special characters are displayed correctly and prevents unwanted characters from appearing in the output. This encoding also helps in maintaining consistency across different platforms and environments.

// Set the default encoding to UTF-8 without BOM
header('Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8');
ini_set('default_charset', 'UTF-8');