What is the significance of using timestamps in PHP for date comparisons?

Using timestamps in PHP for date comparisons is significant because timestamps are a standardized way to represent dates and times as a numeric value. This allows for easier comparison of dates and times, as timestamps can be easily compared using arithmetic operators. Additionally, timestamps are timezone-independent, making them ideal for handling date and time calculations across different time zones.

// Example of using timestamps for date comparisons
$date1 = strtotime('2022-01-01');
$date2 = strtotime('2022-01-15');

if ($date1 < $date2) {
    echo "Date 1 is before Date 2";
} else {
    echo "Date 1 is after Date 2";
}