What is the significance of using bitwise operators in PHP, as demonstrated in the code snippet provided?

Using bitwise operators in PHP allows for efficient manipulation of individual bits within integers. In the provided code snippet, the issue is that the bitwise AND operator (&) is being used incorrectly to check if a specific bit is set in an integer. To fix this, the bitwise AND operator should be combined with a bitmask that has the bit of interest set to 1, allowing for the proper check. 

// Incorrect usage of bitwise AND operator to check if a specific bit is set
$number = 5;
$bitToCheck = 2;

if ($number & $bitToCheck) {
    echo "Bit is set";
} else {
    echo "Bit is not set";
}

// Correct way to check if a specific bit is set using a bitmask
$number = 5;
$bitToCheck = 1 << 2; // Shift 1 to the left by 2 bits to create a bitmask

if ($number & $bitToCheck) {
    echo "Bit is set";
} else {
    echo "Bit is not set";
}

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