Array Destructuring In PHP

Prerequisite

To fully understand this article, you should have a basic understanding of what arrays are and how they work in PHP. If you're new to arrays, watching the video below might help you grasp the concept more effectively:

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What Is Array Destructuring?

Array destructuring is a way to extract elements from an array into separate variables easily. While it has been around in PHP for a while, it’s not commonly used. Let’s break it down with examples.

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Destructuring Indexed/Numerical Arrays

Using the list() Construct

Consider the following array:

$brands = ['Apple', 'Dell', 'Lenovo'];

Without destructuring, you might write:

$apple = $brands[0];
$dell = $brands[1];
$lenovo = $brands[2];

With the list() construct, you can simplify this:

list($apple, $dell, $lenovo) = $brands;

// Alternatively, all on one line:
$brands = list($apple, $dell, $lenovo) = ['Apple', 'Dell', 'Lenovo'];

Skipping Elements

You can skip elements when destructuring:

// Extract only the last element
list(, , $lenovo) = ['Apple', 'Dell', 'Lenovo'];

While this works, it’s more practical to use loops for large arrays with many elements.

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Using the Shorthand Syntax (Square Brackets)

Instead of list(), you can use square brackets for destructuring:

$brands = [$apple, $dell, $lenovo] = ['Apple', 'Dell', 'Lenovo'];

// Skipping an element
$brands = [$apple, , $lenovo] = ['Apple', 'Dell', 'Lenovo'];

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Destructuring Associative Arrays

Given an associative array:

$person = ['name' => 'Jane Doe', 'age' => 24];

Using the list() Construct

Prior to PHP 7.1.0, list() worked only with indexed arrays. To check your PHP version, use:

echo PHP_VERSION . PHP_EOL;

For associative arrays:

list('name' => $name) = $person;

You can also extract specific keys without considering their order:

list('age' => $age) = $person;

Using the Shorthand Syntax

Here’s how to use square brackets for associative arrays:

['age' => $age] = $person;

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Destructuring Nested Arrays

For nested arrays:

$person = [ 
  'name'     => 'Jane Doe', 
  'contacts' => [
    'email' => '[e-mail]',
    'phone' => '234355663663'
  ]
];

[
  'contacts' => [
    'email' => $email
  ]
] = $person;

// echo $email;

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Destructuring in Loops

You can destructure arrays directly within loops:

$people = [ 
  ['id' => '22222', 'name' => 'Jane Doe'],
  ['id' => '33333', 'name' => 'John Doe']
];

foreach ($people as ['id' => $id, 'name' => $name]) {
  // echo $id . '<br />' . $name . '<br /><br />';
}

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Destructuring in Practice

Consider a practical example with file uploads:

['name' => $n, 'type' => $t, 'size' => $s] = $_FILES['name_attr_val'];

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Array destructuring simplifies code, making it more concise and readable. Whether working with indexed or associative arrays, it’s a valuable tool to include in your PHP toolbox.

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