What steps can be taken to troubleshoot issues with session variables not being passed correctly in PHP?

Session variables not being passed correctly in PHP can be troubleshooted by checking if session_start() is called before accessing or setting session variables, ensuring that cookies are enabled in the browser, verifying that the session.save_path is correctly configured in php.ini, and checking for any errors in the code that may be affecting the session functionality.

<?php
// Start the session
session_start();

// Set a session variable
$_SESSION['username'] = 'john_doe';

// Retrieve the session variable
$username = $_SESSION['username'];

// Display the username
echo $username;
?>