What potential pitfalls should be considered when using the @ symbol before mysql_query in PHP code?

Using the @ symbol before mysql_query in PHP code suppresses any error messages that may occur during the execution of the query. This can make debugging and troubleshooting more difficult as errors will not be displayed. It is recommended to handle errors properly using error handling techniques such as try-catch blocks or checking for errors after executing the query.

// Example of handling errors without using the @ symbol
$result = mysql_query($query);

if(!$result) {
    // Handle the error here, such as logging it or displaying an error message
    echo "Error executing query: " . mysql_error();
}