## Which is the Fastest Way to Convert a String to an Integer in PHP?

Efficient Conversion from String to Integer in PHP

When faced with the task of converting a numeric string like "123" to an integer in PHP, performance is a crucial consideration. Among the available methods, the use of the (int) cast operator emerges as the most efficient.

Benchmarking Results

Comparative benchmarks reveal the clear superiority of the (int) cast:

• Converting an integer string: (int) "123" is about twice as fast as intval("123").
• Converting a zero string: (int) "0" excels by a similar margin.
• Converting an existing integer: (int) $int outperforms intval($int) by a significant factor.

Performance Analysis

The discrepancy in performance is attributed to the additional steps required by intval(). This method not only performs a type coercion but also checks for invalid characters. In the case of valid integer strings, the extra checks account for the performance overhead.

Handling Unexpected Input

While (int) efficiently handles integer strings, it converts non-numeric input to zero. For instance, (int) "hello" evaluates to 0. In contrast, intval() leaves non-numeric input unaltered, raising a potential concern for unexpected behavior.

Use of Coercion

To rectify this limitation, one can alternatively use coercion with 0 $var. This method performs comparably in speed to (int) and ensures that non-numeric input is gracefully handled.

Caveats

It's important to note a subtle behavior difference in converting strings with octal or hexadecimal prefixes. While both (int) and intval() interpret "011" as 11, 0 $var interprets it as 9. This variation should be considered when choosing the conversion method.

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