Array Operators

Array Operators
ExampleNameResult
$a + $bUnionUnion of $a and $b.
$a == $bEqualitytrue if $a and $b have the same key/value pairs.
$a === $bIdentitytrue if $a and $b have the same key/value pairs in the same order and of the same types.
$a != $bInequalitytrue if $a is not equal to $b.
$a <> $bInequalitytrue if $a is not equal to $b.
$a !== $bNon-identitytrue if $a is not identical to $b.

The + operator returns the right-hand array appended to the left-hand array; for keys that exist in both arrays, the elements from the left-hand array will be used, and the matching elements from the right-hand array will be ignored.

<?php
$a
= array("a" => "apple", "b" => "banana");
$b = array("a" => "pear", "b" => "strawberry", "c" => "cherry");

$c = $a + $b; // Union of $a and $b
echo "Union of \$a and \$b: \n";
var_dump($c);

$c = $b + $a; // Union of $b and $a
echo "Union of \$b and \$a: \n";
var_dump($c);

$a += $b; // Union of $a += $b is $a and $b
echo "Union of \$a += \$b: \n";
var_dump($a);
?>
When executed, this script will print the following:
 Union of $a and $b: array(3) { ["a"]=> string(5) "apple" ["b"]=> string(6) "banana" ["c"]=> string(6) "cherry" } Union of $b and $a: array(3) { ["a"]=> string(4) "pear" ["b"]=> string(10) "strawberry" ["c"]=> string(6) "cherry" } Union of $a += $b: array(3) { ["a"]=> string(5) "apple" ["b"]=> string(6) "banana" ["c"]=> string(6) "cherry" } 

Elements of arrays are equal for the comparison if they have the same key and value.

Example #1 Comparing arrays

<?php
$a
= array("apple", "banana");
$b = array(1 => "banana", "0" => "apple");

var_dump($a == $b); // bool(true)
var_dump($a === $b); // bool(false)
?>
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