What role does error reporting play in debugging PHP code, and how can it help identify syntax errors in SQL queries?

Error reporting in PHP plays a crucial role in debugging code by providing detailed information about any syntax errors or runtime issues that may occur. By enabling error reporting, developers can quickly identify and address any issues in their code, including syntax errors in SQL queries. This can help in pinpointing the exact line or section of code where the error is occurring, making it easier to fix the problem.

// Enable error reporting to display all errors
error_reporting(E_ALL);
ini_set('display_errors', 1);

// Example SQL query with syntax error
$sql = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = 'john'";

// Execute the SQL query
$result = mysqli_query($connection, $sql);

// Check for SQL syntax errors
if(!$result) {
    echo "Error: " . mysqli_error($connection);
}