Why is it important to handle errors properly in PHP code instead of suppressing them with the @ operator?

Handling errors properly in PHP code is important because it allows you to identify and resolve issues in your code effectively. Suppressing errors with the "@" operator can make it difficult to debug and troubleshoot problems, as errors are hidden from view. By handling errors using try-catch blocks or error handling functions, you can gracefully handle exceptions and prevent your code from breaking unexpectedly.

try {
    // Code that may throw an error
} catch (Exception $e) {
    // Handle the error
    echo "An error occurred: " . $e->getMessage();
}