PHP Array: Syntax Variation

Question

I ran into this php syntax the other day and I am not familiar with it. I *guessed it might doing a push, but I really don't know. Is this *exactly the same as array_push($b). If it is accomplishing something *similar, please explain how it is different.

    $foo = array();
    foreach($bar as $b)
    {
        $foo[] = $b; //push?
    }

The only difference is that array_push can push more than 1 element: array_push($array, $var1, $var2) is the same as $array[] = $var1; $array[] = $var2; — cmbuckley
– cmbuckley, Commented May 2, 2012 at 20:55

Michael Berkowski · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-02 20:52:11Z

4

The only difference is the tiny bit of extra overhead involved in making a function call to array_push() vs making use of the language construct [] to append onto an array. They are functionally equivalent.

The difference between them from that function call is going to be utterly miniscule to the degree that you needn't worry about it unless you are doing it millions of times.

answered May 2, 2012 at 20:52

Michael Berkowski

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Jeff Lambert · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-02 20:57:07Z

2

$foo[] = $b will be slightly faster due to the overhead of a function call (as Michael stated below).

Additionally, as stated in the manual, if the first argument to array_push is not an array a notice is raised. Using the array bracket notation will simply create a new array if it does not already exist.

answered May 2, 2012 at 20:57

Jeff Lambert

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