PHP vs JavaScript: Altering the value of an array passed in gives different results

Question

It was very difficult to come up with an informed title for this post.

Though PHP and JS are totally different languages, I am very surprised to find that altering an array passed into a function as an argument gives different results.

PHP

<?php 
function thing($arr) {
    $arr[2] = "WOOF";
}

$hello = array(1,2,3,4);
thing($hello);
print_r($hello);
// Array ( [0] => 1 [1] => 2 [2] => 3 [3] => 4 )
?>

Javascript

function thing($arr) {
    $arr[2] = "WOOF";
}

$hello = [1,2,3,4];
thing($hello);
console.log($hello);
// [1, 2, "WOOF", 4]

Which is "correct"?

Why is there a difference in results here? Why does JS accept that the argument is simply an alias to the original array, but PHP doesn't?

Which way is the most 'correct' -- and why?

Vinod Louis · Accepted Answer · 2014-03-19 05:47:25Z

6

In javascript object are passed by reference So you are getting the result like this so said that both the result are true in their own domain.

you can try this via console too..

>>> var s = [1,2,3,4];
undefined
>>> var b = s;
undefined
>>> b;
[1, 2, 3, 4]
>>> s;
[1, 2, 3, 4]
>>> b[2] = "data";
"data"
>>> b;
[1, 2, "data", 4]
>>> s;
[1, 2, "data", 4]

answered Mar 19, 2014 at 5:47

Vinod Louis

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rjhdby · Accepted Answer · 2014-03-19 05:48:34Z

0

In php you give to function values of "$arr", and in JS - object "$arr"

<?php 
function thing($arr) {
    $arr[2] = "WOOF";
return ($arr);
}

$hello = array(1,2,3,4);
$hello=thing($hello);
print_r($hello);
// Array ( [0] => 1 [1] => 2 [2] => 3 [3] => 4 )
?>

answered Mar 19, 2014 at 5:48

rjhdby

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