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Deleting array elements by value in PHP

Deleting array elements by value in PHP

Consider an array `foo` with multiple values, and consider the problem of deleting an element from the array, given just the value. Let the variable `$delValue` hold the value to be  found and deleted.

Using `array_search` and `unset`

$key = array_search($delValue, $foo);
if($key !== false)
unset($foo[$key]);

The strict operator `!==` is required because the `array_search` function returns the key of the value in the array, if present. Since the key can be 0 and 0 evaluates to false in PHP, a strict comparison is required.
The method doesn’t work for multiple entries of the value, but with a slight modification, it can be made to :

while($key = array_search($delValue, $foo) !== false){
    unset($foo[$key])
}

Using `array_diff`

This method only works for arrays whose members can be converted to strings.

$foo = array_diff($foo, [$delValue]);

`delValue` is cast into an array, and `array_diff` returns only the values of `foo` that will not be found in `[$delValue]`. Thus, all instances of `delValue` are deleted. This is a concise, powerful way that successfully deletes multiple entries of `delValue`.

Using `array_keys`

This is similar to the first method, but multiple entries can be successfully deleted.

foreach(array_keys($foo, $delValue, true) as $key){
unset($foo[$key]);
}

The argument `$delValue` tells the function `array_keys` to return keys only for the values *equal to* `delValue`, and the third argument `true` signifies that strict comparison (`===`) be used for checking the values.

Using Anonymous Functions with `array_filter`

A neat method that only works for versions of PHP >= 5.3.0.

$foo = array_filter($foo, function($value) use ($delValue) {
    return ($value !== $delValue);
});

The anonymous function returns a boolean value, which determines whether an element should pass through the filter or not. All values of the array `foo` *strictly not equal to* `delValue` pass through and become a part of the new array. Worth noting that multiple instances of `delValue` are deleted.

Using `array_flip`

The function flips keys and values of the array passed as an argument. In the case of multiple values, only the latest key is used; the rest are discarded. Also, it’s necessary that the values be either integers or strings or be convertible as such.

$flippedFoo = array_flip($foo);
unset($foo[$delValue]);

$foo = array_flip($flippedFoo);

Multiple values are deleted as a side-effect of the `array_flip` call, although some data loss can possibly occur.

Using comparisons and loops

foreach($foo as $key => $value){
    if($value == $delValue){ // === for strict comparison may be used
    unset($foo[$key]);
    }
}

Since each element is looped over, multiple values if present are all deleted.

Using `array_splice`

The function array_splice can also be used to delete values from an array.

$key = array_search($delValue, $foo);
array_splice($foo, $key, 1);

The method only deletes one instance of the value from the array. In the case of associative arrays or arrays in which keys have gaps, the method fails.

References

  1. array_search
  2. unset
  3. array_diff
  4. array_keys
  5. array_flip
  6. array_filter
  7. Anonymous Functions
  8. array_splice

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