How can I validate the structure of my PHP arrays?

Question

Is there a function out there to make sure that any given array conforms to a particular structure? What I mean is that is has particular key names, perhaps particular types for values, and whatever nested structure.

Right now I have a place where I want to make sure that the array getting past has certain keys, a couple holding a certain data type, and one sub-array with particular key names. I've done a lot of run-around because I was passing malformed arrays to it, and finally I'm at the point where I have a bunch of

if ( ! isset($arr['key1']) ) { .... }
if ( ! isset($arr['key2']) ) { .... }
if ( ! isset($arr['key3']) ) { .... }

I would have saved a lot of time and consternation if I could have checked that the array conformed to a particular structure beforehand. Ideally something like

$arrModel = array(
    'key1' => NULL ,
    'key2' => int ,
    'key3' => array(
        'key1' => NULL ,
        'key2' => NULL ,
      ),
);

if ( ! validate_array( $arrModel, $arrCandidate ) ) { ... }

So, the question I'm asking is, does this already exists, or do I write this myself?

webbiedave · Accepted Answer · 2010-10-27 19:23:40Z

13

Convert array to JSON:

http://us.php.net/manual/en/function.json-encode.php

Then check against a JSON Schema:

http://json-schema.org/

http://jsonschemaphpv.sourceforge.net/

answered Oct 27, 2010 at 19:23

webbiedave

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1 Comment

ircmaxell Over a year ago

I would have said to XML at first, but JSON is just so much easier to work with... +1

Jefferson Lima · Accepted Answer · 2020-05-15 17:33:32Z

8

You can use the Symfony Validation component

Installation:

 composer require symfony/validator doctrine/annotations

Usage:

$myArray = [
  'name' => ['first_name' => 'foo', 'last_name' => 'bar'],
  'email' => '[email protected]' 
];

$constraints = new Assert\Collection([
    'name' => new Assert\Collection([
        'first_name' => new Assert\Length(['min' => 101]),
        'last_name' => new Assert\Length(['min' => 1]),
    ]),
    'email' => new Assert\Email(),
]);

$validator = Validation::createValidator();
$violations = $validator->validate($myArray, $constraints);

For more details, see How to Validate Raw Values (Scalar Values and Arrays)

answered May 15, 2020 at 17:33

Jefferson Lima

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Comments

Parris Varney · Accepted Answer · 2010-10-27 20:36:34Z

7

It doesn't exist built in.

Maybe try something like (untested):

array_diff(array_merge_recursive($arrCandidate, $arrModel), $arrModel)

edited Oct 27, 2010 at 20:36

answered Oct 27, 2010 at 19:24

Parris Varney

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3 Comments

Yevgeniy Afanasyev Over a year ago

why is it better than array_diff_key?

mimros Over a year ago

@YevgeniyAfanasyev to arrray_diff_key "Note This function only checks one dimension of a n-dimensional array. Of course you can check deeper dimensions by using array_diff_key($array1[0], $array2[0]);." php.net/manual/en/…

Cave Johnson Over a year ago

@mimros array_diff is the same "This function only checks one dimension of a n-dimensional array..." php.net/manual/en/…

ETNyx · Accepted Answer · 2020-04-18 17:47:01Z

accepted answer make diff based on values, since it's about array structure you dont want to diff values. Insted you should use [array_diff_key()][1]

Function alone is not recursive. It will not work out of box on sample array from question.

Edit after years: Got into similar trouble whit recursive array functions, so there is mine array_diff_recursive, this does not solve original question because it compare values as well, but i believe it can be easily modified and someone can find it useful .

function array_diff_recursive(array $array1, array $array2){
    return array_replace_recursive(
        array_diff_recursive_one_way($array1, $array2),
        array_diff_recursive_one_way($array2, $array1)
    );
}//end array_diff_recursive()

function array_diff_recursive_one_way(array $array1, array $array2)
{
    $ret = array();

    foreach ($array1 as $key => $value) {
        if (array_key_exists($key, $array2) === TRUE) {
            if (is_array($value) === TRUE) {
                $recurse = array_diff_recursive_one_way($value, $array2[$key]);
                if (count($recurse) > 0) {
                    $ret[$key] = $recurse;
                }
            } elseif (in_array($value, $array2) === FALSE) {
                $ret[$key] = $value;
            }
        } elseif (in_array($value, $array2) === FALSE) {
            $ret[$key] = $value;
        }
    }

    return $ret;
}//end array_diff_recursive_one_way()```

[1]: http://php.net/manual/en/function.array-diff-key.php

Enric · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-17 07:58:57Z

1

I know this is sort of an old post, sorry if my answer is not approppriate.

I'm in the process of writing a php package that does exactly what you are asking for, it's called Structure.

What you can do with the package is something like:

$arrayCheck = new \Structure\ArrayS();
$arrayCheck->setFormat(array("profile"=>"array"));
if ($arrayCheck->check($myArray)) {
    //...
}

You can check it out here: http://github.com/3nr1c/structure

edited Jul 17, 2015 at 7:58

answered Jul 17, 2015 at 7:22

Enric

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Comments

Nicholas Shanks · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-01 15:09:33Z

1

I came across a tool called Matchmaker on GitHub, which looks very comprehensive and has composer support and unit tests:
https://github.com/ptrofimov/matchmaker

You can include it into your project with composer require ptrofimov/matchmaker.

edited Feb 1, 2016 at 15:09

answered Feb 1, 2016 at 10:45

Nicholas Shanks

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4 Comments

Nicholas Shanks Over a year ago

To random down-voters: why? Please leave a message. The linked library does indeed meet the needs of the asker, and I have no affiliation to it.

Dmitry Lezhnev Over a year ago

I used that lib and it was good for validating array structures. However, it lacks of error messages support. I can only tell if validation failed, but what exactly went wrong is unknown.

Nicholas Shanks Over a year ago

@DmitriyLezhnev Then why not send them some pull requests to fix it?

Dmitry Lezhnev Over a year ago

Package looks abandoned to me. But there is a fork which has some recent commits regarding exception handling. Gonna try it myself: github.com/cdrubin/matchmaker

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