Congratulations! You’ve mastered variables and functions. But what if you need to store multiple values in a single variable? Enter arrays—the Swiss Army knife of PHP data structures!
In this guide, we’ll break down arrays in PHP in a fun and easy way with real-world examples.
What is an Array?
An array is a special variable that holds multiple values in one place. Think of it as a magic box where each item has a numbered slot or a name tag!
$fruits = ["Apple", "Banana", "Cherry"];
echo $fruits[0]; // Output: Apple
Saves space – No need to create multiple variables. Organized – Easily access data by index or key. Flexible – Store different types of values.
Types of Arrays in PHP
PHP has three types of arrays: Indexed Arrays – Use numeric indexes (starting from 0). Associative Arrays – Use custom keys (like a dictionary). Multidimensional Arrays – Arrays inside arrays (like a matrix).
Let's explore each type!
Indexed Arrays
The simplest type of array, where elements are indexed with numbers starting from 0.
Creating an Indexed Array
$colors = ["Red", "Green", "Blue"];
echo $colors[1]; // Output: Green
Adding Elements
$colors[] = "Yellow";
print_r($colors);
// Output: Array ( [0] => Red [1] => Green [2] => Blue [3] => Yellow )
Looping Through an Indexed Array
foreach ($colors as $color) {
echo $color . " ";
}
// Output: Red Green Blue Yellow
Associative Arrays
Instead of numbers, keys are used to access values (like a dictionary).
Creating an Associative Array
$ages = ["Alice" => 25, "Bob" => 30, "Charlie" => 35];
echo $ages["Bob"]; // Output: 30
Adding Elements
$ages["David"] = 40;
print_r($ages);
// Output: Array ( [Alice] => 25 [Bob] => 30 [Charlie] => 35 [David] => 40 )
Looping Through an Associative Array
foreach ($ages as $name => $age) {
echo "$name is $age years old. ";
}
// Output: Alice is 25 years old. Bob is 30 years old. ...
Multidimensional Arrays
Arrays inside arrays! Used for tables, grids, or structured data.
Creating a Multidimensional Array
$students = [
["name" => "Alice", "age" => 25, "grade" => "A"],
["name" => "Bob", "age" => 30, "grade" => "B"],
["name" => "Charlie", "age" => 35, "grade" => "C"]
];
echo $students[1]["name"]; // Output: Bob
Looping Through a Multidimensional Array
foreach ($students as $student) {
echo $student["name"] . " is " . $student["age"] . " years old and got grade " . $student["grade"] . ". ";
}
// Output: Alice is 25 years old and got grade A. Bob is 30 years old...
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Shopping Cart
$cart = [
["item" => "Laptop", "price" => 1000, "qty" => 1],
["item" => "Mouse", "price" => 50, "qty" => 2],
["item" => "Keyboard", "price" => 75, "qty" => 1]
];
echo "Total Price: ";
$total = 0;
foreach ($cart as $product) {
$total += $product["price"] * $product["qty"];
}
echo "$total"; // Output: Total Price: 1175
Useful for e-commerce platforms!
Example 2: Student Grades
$grades = ["Alice" => 85, "Bob" => 90, "Charlie" => 78];
arsort($grades); // Sorts from highest to lowest
foreach ($grades as $student => $score) {
echo "$student: $score ";
}
Perfect for school management systems!
Example 3: API Data Handling
$json = '{"name": "Alice", "age": 25, "city": "New York"}';
$data = json_decode($json, true);
echo $data["name"]; // Output: Alice
Essential for working with JSON responses!
Useful Array Functions
PHP has tons of built-in array functions. Here are some must-knows:
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
count($arr) |
Count number of elements |
array_push($arr, $value) |
Add element at the end |
array_pop($arr) |
Remove last element |
array_shift($arr) |
Remove first element |
array_unshift($arr, $value) |
Add element at the beginning |
array_keys($arr) |
Get all keys |
array_values($arr) |
Get all values |
array_merge($arr1, $arr2) |
Combine arrays |
in_array("value", $arr) |
Check if value exists |
Example:
$nums = [10, 20, 30, 40];
if (in_array(20, $nums)) {
echo "20 is in the array!";
}
// Output: 20 is in the array!
Arrays make your PHP code organized, efficient, and powerful. Now, you can: Use indexed, associative, and multidimensional arrays. Loop through arrays easily. Store and manipulate structured data. Apply arrays to real-world projects like shopping carts and APIs.
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