In PHP there is no need to write the variable type before the variable because it is loosely-typed. It takes datatype from user defined values that are stored in it. Arrays in PHP is a type of data structure that allows to store multiple elements of similar data type under a single variable thereby saving the effort of creating a different variable for every data.
There are basically three types of arrays in PHP:
- Sequential (Indexed) arrays
- Associative arrays
- Multidimensional arrays
Sequential Arrays: Those arrays which have numerical indexes in an ordered sequential manner (starting from 0 and ending with n-1) are called Sequential or Indexed arrays. In PHP, by default array Indexed array.
<?php // Example of sequential array   $arr = array("January", "February", "March");   // 1st element echo $arr[0] . "\n";   // 2nd element echo $arr[1] . "\n";   // 3rd element     echo $arr[2] . "\n"; ?> |
January February March
Associative arrays: The arrays which are having string type keys instead of indexes or which exist in (‘key’, ‘value’)pairs are called associative arrays.
<?php // Example of associative array   $arr1= array("Month1" => "January",              "Month2" => "February",              "Month3" => "March"         );   echo $arr1["Month1"] . "\n"; echo $arr1["Month2"] . "\n"; echo $arr1["Month3"] . "\n"; ?> |
January February March
How to check if PHP array is associative or sequential?
There is no inbuilt method in PHP to know the type of array. If the sequential array contains n elements then their index lies between 0 to (n-1). So find the array key value and check if it exist in 0 to (n-1) then it is sequential otherwise associative array.
<?php // Example to check Sequential array   // Associative array $arr1= array("Month1" => "January",              "Month2" => "February",              "Month3" => "March"         );       // Checking for sequential keys of array arr if(array_keys($arr1) !== range(0, count($arr1) - 1))     echo "Array is associative"; else    echo "Array is sequential \n"; ?> |
Array is associative
Note:
- === It returns True if $x and $y are equal and same type.
- !== It returns True if $x and $y are not equal or not same type.
- == It returns True if $x and $y are equal.
- != It returns True if $x not equal to $y.
