When should json_decode be used in PHP scripts handling JSON data, and what is its significance?

When handling JSON data in PHP scripts, you should use json_decode when you need to convert a JSON string into a PHP variable. This function is significant because it allows you to work with JSON data in PHP by decoding it into an associative array or an object.

// Sample JSON data
$jsonData = '{"name": "John", "age": 30, "city": "New York"}';

// Decode JSON data into an associative array
$decodedData = json_decode($jsonData, true);

// Accessing the decoded data
echo $decodedData['name']; // Output: John
echo $decodedData['age']; // Output: 30
echo $decodedData['city']; // Output: New York