Is_array()

Introduction

The is_array() function is a built-in function in PHP that checks whether a variable is an array or not. An array is a special type of variable that holds a collection of values, which can be accessed by their index.

Syntax

The syntax of the is_array() function is as follows:

bool is_array(mixed $var)

The function takes a single parameter, $var, which is the variable to be checked for being an array. The function returns true if the variable is an array, and false otherwise.

Example Usage

Here is an example of how to use the is_array() function in PHP:

<?php
$var1 = [1, 2, 3];
$var2 = "hello";
echo is_array($var1) . "\n"; // output: 1 (true)
echo is_array($var2) . "\n"; // output: (false)
?>

In this example, we define two variables: $var1 is an array of integers, and $var2 is a string. We then use the is_array() function to check whether each variable is an array. The output shows that $var1 is an array (true), while $var2 is not an array (false).

Conclusion

The is_array() function is a useful tool for checking whether a variable is an array in PHP. It can be used to ensure that a variable is of the expected type before performing operations on it, or to handle arrays and non-arrays in a particular way. By using this function, developers can ensure that their code is working with the correct data types and avoid errors that may occur when working with mixed data types.