How to use PHP arrays

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An array is a data structure in PHP that can store multiple values of different data types under a single variable name. It is one of the most powerful and frequently used constructs in PHP. Arrays can be used to store and retrieve large sets of data efficiently. In this article, we will discuss how to create and use arrays in PHP along with some usage examples.

Array Syntax

The syntax for creating an array in PHP is:

    $array_name = array(value1, value2, ..., valueN);

Parameter Values of the Array Function

Parameter	Description
value1, value2, …, valueN	The values to be stored in the array. These can be of any data type such as strings, numbers, or other arrays.
array()	An optional parameter that can initialize an empty array.

Technical Details of the Array Function

Return Value	Returns an array that contains the specified values.
Errors/Exceptions	No errors or exceptions are thrown.
Version	PHP 4, PHP 5, PHP 7
Changelog	PHP 5.4: Empty brackets are allowed to initialize an empty array instead of using the array() function.
PHP Manual	https://www.php.net/manual/en/function.array.php

Usage Examples

Here are a few examples of how to create and use arrays in PHP:

Example 1: Creating and accessing a numeric array.

    //Creating an array with three values.
    $fruits = array("Apple", "Banana", "Orange");
    
    //Accessing the first value in the array.
    echo $fruits[0];
    
    //Output: Apple

Example 2: Creating and accessing an associative array.

    //Creating an array with key-value pairs.
    $person = array("name" => "John", "age" => 25, "gender" => "Male");
    
    //Accessing the value of a key in the array.
    echo $person["name"];
    
    //Output: John

Example 3: Looping through an array.

    //Creating an array with five values.
    $numbers = array(10, 20, 30, 40, 50);
    
    //Looping through the array and echoing each value.
    foreach ($numbers as $number) {
        echo $number . " ";
    }
    
    //Output: 10 20 30 40 50

For more information on arrays in PHP, please visit the W3Schools PHP Arrays Tutorial.

  Written by: Steven Iversen     23-05-2023     Written in: PHP tutorials