What potential pitfalls should be avoided when returning variables from functions in PHP?

One potential pitfall to avoid when returning variables from functions in PHP is not properly checking if the function executed successfully before using the returned variable. This can lead to errors if the function fails to return the expected value. To solve this, always check the return value of the function before using the returned variable.

// Potential pitfall: Not checking if the function executed successfully
function getValue() {
    return 10;
}

// Pitfall avoided: Check if the function executed successfully before using the returned variable
$result = getValue();
if ($result !== false) {
    echo $result;
}