How to Get the Last Element of a PHP Array Without Modifying It?

Getting the Last Array Element without Modification

While array_pop() offers a convenient way to retrieve the last element of an array, it permanently removes it. To bypass this limitation and obtain the last element without deleting it, PHP provides alternative approaches:

1. Using end():

   • $myLastElement = end($yourArray);
   • This method retrieves the last element and also advances the array's internal pointer.

2. For PHP 7.3.0 and Later:

   • $myLastElement = $yourArray[array_key_last($yourArray)];
   • array_key_last() returns the key of the last element, allowing you to access its value without modifying the internal pointer.

Example Usage:

For the array $array = array('a' => 'a', 'b' => 'b', 'c' => 'c'):

• end($array) will return 'c'.
• $array[array_key_last($array)] (for PHP 7.3.0 or later) will also return 'c'.

Note that $array remains intact in both scenarios, preserving its original structure.

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