How Can I Define PHP Constants Containing Arrays?

Defining PHP Constants That Contain Arrays

When attempting to define a constant that contains an array using the define() function, you may encounter an error. This is because, prior to PHP 5.6, PHP constants could not contain arrays.

Circumventing the Limitation

To work around this limitation, a common approach was to store the array as a string in the constant and then explode it into an array when needed. While this method is functional, it does require additional effort and introduces unnecessary string manipulation.

The const Declaration in PHP 5.6

Since PHP 5.6, a new approach is available through the const declaration. To define an array constant using const:

const DEFAULT_ROLES = array('guy', 'development team');

This method is preferred as it allows you to define array constants directly without the need for string manipulation or explode().

The define() Function in PHP 7

In PHP 7 and later, the define() function can also be used to define array constants:

define('DEFAULT_ROLES', array('guy', 'development team'));

Example Usage

Here's an example demonstrating the usage of an array constant defined using const:

const DEFAULT_ROLES = array('guy', 'development team');

$default = DEFAULT_ROLES; // Assign the array constant to a variable

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