How do PHP functions return mixed data types?

PHP functions can return mixed data types, including integers, strings, booleans, or arrays, simply by passing multiple types of values ​​as return values. Practical examples include calculating the total price of the shopping cart and returning an array of total price and discount. NOTE: Document return value types, use type checking to ensure the correct return type, use mixed data types with caution, and consider using the Union type to specify the types that a function can return.

How PHP functions return mixed data types

In PHP, functions can return any data type, including mixed data types. Mixed data types are when a function can return multiple types of data, such as integers, strings, booleans, or arrays.

To return mixed data types, just use multiple types of values ​​as the return value of the function. For example:

function get_data() {
  return array('name' => 'John Doe', 'age' => 30);
}

This function returns an array containing name and age.

Practical Case

Consider a function that calculates the total price of the user's shopping cart:

function calculate_total($items) {
  $total = 0;
  foreach ($items as $item) {
    $total += $item['price'];
  }
  return array('total' => $total, 'discount' => 0.1);
}

This function returns an array containing the total price of the shopping cart and A 10% discount.

Notes

• Make sure the documentation for the function describes the mixed data types it returns.
• Use type checking to ensure that functions return the expected type.
• Use mixed data types with caution as they may cause errors in your code.
• Consider using the Union type to specify the type that the function can return to improve the readability and maintainability of the code.

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