Which is More Efficient for Appending Elements to a PHP Array: $array[] or array_push()?

PHP Array Appending Efficiency: $array[] vs. array_push($array)

PHP developers often face the choice between using $array[] or array_push($array, $value) for appending elements to an array. This article explores the performance implications of these two methods, clarifying the confusion surrounding their efficiency.

According to the PHP manual, $array[] should be preferred to avoid unnecessary function calls. However, some argue that array_push() might be faster, especially when appending multiple elements.

To compare the performance, several benchmark tests were conducted with microtime() to measure execution duration. The results consistently showed that $array[] outperformed array_push() by a significant margin, even for substantial numbers of additions.

For example, in one test, $array[] took 0.0028 seconds compared to 0.0054 seconds for array_push() when appending 10,000 elements. These results confirm the PHP manual's recommendation that $array[] is more efficient for single-element additions.

Interestingly, further tests revealed that multiple $array[] calls remained faster than a single array_push() call, even for large additions. This suggests that $array[]'s reduced function overhead outweighs any potential benefits from array_push()'s optimizations when appending multiple elements.

In conclusion, while $array[] might appear less elegant code-wise, it is consistently faster than array_push() for both single and multiple element additions in PHP. This aligns with the recommendation in the PHP manual and provides clear guidance for optimizing array manipulation performance in PHP applications.

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