There are two ways for checking whether the variable is an array or not. We can check whether a variable is an array or not by using the PHP is_array() function and by casting the variable to the array.
Approach 1: We can check whether a variable is an array or not using the is_array() function. The PHP is_array() function is a variable handling function that checks whether a variable is an array or not.
Syntax:
is_array( $variable_name );
Parameter: It accepts a single parameter. This parameter must be the variable name for which the check is done if it is an array or not.
Return value: It returns true if the boolean value is TRUE else false.
Example 1: The is_array() function returns true(1) when passed parameter is array else it will return false (nothing).
PHP
<?php $isArr = "friends"; if(is_array($isArr)) { echo "Array"; } else { echo "Not an Array"; } echo "<br>"; $isArr = array("smith", "john", "josh"); if(is_array($isArr)) { echo "Array"; } else { echo "Not an Array"; } ?> |
Not an Array<br>Array
Approach 2: By casting the variable to an array. We have to cast the variable to an array that we want to check.
For Array: type casted array === original array
- Original array:
john, johnson, steve
- Type casted array:
john, johnson, steve
For normal variable: type casted array != original array
- Original variable:
friends
- Type casted variable:
friends, ,
Example 2: After typecasting, an index-based array will be formed.
PHP
<?php $isArr = array("john", "johnson", "steve"); if((array)$isArr === $isArr) { echo "It is an Array\n"; } else { echo "It is not an Array\n"; } $isArr = "friends"; if((array)$isArr === $isArr) { echo "It is an Array"; } else { echo "It is not an Array"; } ?> |
It is an Array It is not an Array
