How to return an array from a function in php

In PHP, the return value of a function can be any type of data, including arrays. Using the function of returning an array can make the function more flexible and powerful. In this article, we will introduce how to return an array in a PHP function.

Two ways to return an array

In PHP, there are two ways to return an array:

1. Use the array directly as the return value of the function
2. Store the array in a variable, and then return the variable

The following are detailed instructions for the two methods:

Method 1: Directly use the array as the return value of the function

In the function, you can directly output the array as the return value. The syntax is as follows:

function functionName() {
    $arr = array('apple', 'banana', 'orange');
    return $arr;
}

If you use this function, the following array will be output:

array('apple', 'banana', 'orange');

This way Simple, direct, and returns both array keys and values. This method can return a predefined array or dynamically generate an array and modify it according to your needs.

Method 2: Store the array in a variable and then return the variable

In another way, you can also store the array in a variable and then use the variable as the return value Output, the syntax is as follows:

function functionName() {
    $arr = array('apple', 'banana', 'orange');
    $result = $arr; 
    return $result; 
}

Same as returning the array directly, this method can also return the keys and values ​​of the array, and the array can be modified. In addition, this method has the advantage that when the array needs to be passed to other functions, the variable can be passed as a parameter, thus improving the reusability of the code.

Actual case of using return array

The following is a practical case of using return array:

Suppose you need to write a function that can obtain information about a website. The website information includes website name, website URL and website description. The following is the implementation of this function:

function getSiteInfo() {
    $siteInfo = array(
        'siteName' => 'PHP中文网',
        'siteUrl' => 'https://www.php.cn',
        'siteDes' => 'PHP中文网致力于为中国PHP开发者提供最好的PHP学习资源和服务。'
    );
    return $siteInfo;
}

// 使用该函数，将会输出以下数组：
/*
array(
    'siteName' => 'PHP中文网',
    'siteUrl' => 'https://www.php.cn',
    'siteDes' => 'PHP中文网致力于为中国PHP开发者提供最好的PHP学习资源和服务。'
)
*/

On this basis, a simple web page header can be implemented in the following way:

$siteInfo = getSiteInfo();

echo '


    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <title>' . $siteInfo['siteName'] . '</title>
    <meta name="description" content="' . $siteInfo['siteDes'] . '">
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/style.css">

';

By calling the getSiteInfo() function , which can obtain website information and then use the information to generate web page headers. The entire process is very simple, intuitive, and easy to maintain.

Summary

In PHP, using a function to return an array is a very common operation. By using the function of returning an array, PHP functions can become more flexible and powerful, and can quickly respond to various needs. In actual development, the method of returning the array needs to be selected according to the specific situation. It is highly recommended that you practice more and try to use the returned array to solve practical problems.

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