title: What is the proper way to initialize empty strings in PHP?
body: <p>In C#, I've come to adopt the following method of initializing empty strings:</p>
  
  <pre><code>string account = string.empty;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>rather than</p>
  
  <pre><code>string account = "";
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>According to my mentor and other C# developers I've talked to, the first method is the better practice.</p>
  
  <p>That said, is there a better way to initialize empty strings in PHP?  Currently, I see the following widely used:</p>
  
  <pre><code>$account = '';
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Thanks.</p>