What is the difference between the assignment operator '=' and the comparison operator '=='?

= assigns a value to a variable. == compares values for equality, with types being automatically converted.

<?php
$x = 5; // Assignment: the variable $x is assigned the value 5

if ($x == '5') { // Equality comparison: compares 5 (int) with '5' (string). Types are converted, condition is true.
    echo "Values are equal";
}
?>