PHP Cheat Sheet

Hello World Integers Anonymous Functions (Closures)

Example Value
<?php $y = 3;
echo 'Hello, World!'; 28 28 $foo = function(int $x) use ($y): int {
return $x + $y;
10_000 (PHP 7.4) 10000
};
PHP Tags -28 -28 $foo(1); // 4
Tag Description
012 10 (octal)
<?php Standard opening tag
0x0A 10 (hexadecimal)
Arrow Functions (PHP 7.4)
<? Short opening tag
0b1010 10 (binary) $y = 3;
<?= $foo Short opening tag with echo $foo = fn(int $x): int => $x + $y;
$foo(1); // 4
?> Standard closing tag
Floats
Example Value Generators
Variables 1.234 1.234
function generate(): iterable
$greeting = 'Hello, World!'; -1.2 -1.2 {
echo $greeting; // Hello, World! yield 1;
1.2e3 1200 (scientific notation)
yield 2;
}
Constants 7E-3 0.007 (scientific notation)

const CONSTANT = 'value'; foreach (generate() as $value) {

define('RUNTIME_CONSTANT', CONSTANT); Arrays echo $value;
}
$array = [1, 2, 3];
echo CONSTANT; // value
$array[] = 4;
echo RUNTIME_CONSTANT; // value
$array[4] = 5; Comments
// This is a one line C++ style comment
Strings Functions # This is a one line shell-style comment
$name = 'World'; /* This is a
function foo(int $a, int $b = 5): int multi-line comment */
echo 'Hello, $name!'; // Hello, $name!
{
echo "Hello, $name!"; // Hello, World!
return $a + $b; /**
echo "Hello, {$name}!"; // Hello, World!
} * This is a PHPDoc docblock
foo(1, 2); // 3 * @param string[] $bar
echo <<<END
foo(1); // 6 * @return void
This is a multi-line string
in HEREDOC syntax (with interpolation). */
END; Named Parameters (PHP 8.0) function foo(array $bar): void
{}
echo <<<'END' function foo(int $a, int $b): int
This is a multi-line string {
return $a + $b;
Attributes (PHP 8.0)
in NOWDOC syntax (without interpolation).
END; } #[Foo(bar: 'baz')]
foo(b: 2, a: 1); class Bar {}

© Nic Wortel, Software Consultant & Trainer - Updated for PHP 8.3 - Last updated on January 17, 2024 - Find more cheat sheets at https://nicwortel.nl/cheat-sheets
 Atomic / Built-in Types While Enumerations (PHP 8.1)
Type Description
while ($i < 10) { enum Suit {
null NULL (no value) echo $i++; case Hearts;
} case Diamonds;
bool Boolean (true or false)
case Clubs;
int Integer case Spades;
Do/While }
float Floating point number
do {
string String echo $i++; $suit = Suit::Hearts;
} while ($i < 10); $suit->name; // Hearts
array Array
object Object
For Backed Enumerations (PHP 8.1)
resource Reference to an external resource
for ($i = 0; $i < 10; $i++) { enum Suit: string {
callable Callback function case Hearts = '♥';
echo $i;
void Function does not return a value } case Diamonds = '♦';
case Clubs = '♣';
never (PHP 8.1) Function never terminates case Spades = '♠';
false (PHP 8.0) false Foreach }

true (PHP 8.2) true foreach ($array as $value) { $hearts = Suit::from('♥');

echo $value; $hearts->value; // '♥'
}
Composite Types & Type Aliases
Type Description foreach ($array as $key => $value) { Language Constructs
echo "$key: $value"; Construct Description
?string Nullable type: string or null }
echo $string Output one or more strings
string|bool (PHP 8.0) Union type: string or bool
Foo&Bar (PHP 8.1) Intersection type: Foo and Bar Switch print $string Output a string and return 1
unset($var) Destroy the specified variable(s)
(A&B)|null (PHP 8.2) Disjunctive Normal Form (DNF) switch ($i) {
case 0: isset($var) Determine if a variable is set
iterable array or Traversable
case 1:
empty($var) Determine if a variable is empty
mixed (PHP 8.0) Any type echo "i equals 0 or 1";
break; die() Output a message and terminate
default:
If/Else echo "i is not equal to 0 or 1";
exit() Output a message and terminate

} Include and evaluate a file or

if ($a > $b) { include <file>
throw a warning if it fails
echo "a is greater than b";
} elseif ($a == $b) { Match (PHP 8.0) require <file>
Include and evaluate a file or
echo "a is equal to b"; throw an error if it fails
} else { $foo = match ($i) { Include and evaluate a file once
echo "a is less than b"; 0 => "i equals 0", include_once <file>
only or throw a warning if it fails
} 1, 2 => "i equals 1 or 2",
default => "i is not equal to 0, 1 or 2", Include and evaluate a file once
require_once <file>
}; only or throw an error if it fails

© Nic Wortel, Software Consultant & Trainer - Updated for PHP 8.3 - Last updated on January 17, 2024 - Find more cheat sheets at https://nicwortel.nl/cheat-sheets
 Object-Oriented Programming Property Keywords Namespacing and Importing
Keyword Description
interface FooInterface namespace Foo\Bar;
{ Can be accessed statically (e.g.
static
public function baz(): string; Foo::$bar) use Foo\Baz as BazAlias;
} use Foo\Baz\{Qux, Quux};
readonly (PHP 8.1) Can only be set in the constructor
use function strlen;
class Foo extends Bar implements FooInterface
{ Constructor Property Promotion Exceptions
private string $bar;
class Foo try {
public const string BAZ = 'Hello, '; { throw new Exception('Something went wrong');
public function __construct(private string $bar) } catch (Exception $e) {
public function __construct(string $bar) { // Code that runs when an exception is thrown
{ } } finally {
$this->bar = $bar; } // Code that will always run
} }

public function baz(): string Method keywords

{ Keyword Description Traits
return self::BAZ . $this->bar;
Can be called statically (e.g. trait FooTrait
} static
Foo::bar()) {
}
Must be implemented by public function baz(): string
abstract {}
$foo = new Foo("World!"); subclasses
echo $foo->baz(); // Hello, World!' }
Cannot be overridden by
echo Foo::BAZ; // Hello, final
subclasses
class Foo
{
Class Keywords Predefined attributes use FooTrait;
Keyword Description }
Attribute Description
Class has abstract methods and
abstract
cannot be instantiated
#[Attribute] User-defined attribute class Magic Methods
#[SensitiveParameter] Parameter contains sensitive data Method Called when...
final Class cannot be extended
#[AllowDynamicProperties] Class allows dynamic properties __construct(...$args) Object is instantiated (constructor)
extends <class> Class extends another class
#[Override] (PHP 8.3) Method overrides parent method __destruct() Object is destroyed
implements <interface> Class implements an interface
__toString() Object is converted to a string
readonly (PHP 8.2) All properties are read-only
Calling Methods/Properties/Constants __invoke(...$args) Object is used as a function
Syntax Calls foo() on... __get($name) Undefined property is accessed
Method/Property/Constant Visibility
$this->foo() The current object ($this) __set($name, $value) Undefined property is set
Keyword Description
Foo::foo() The class named Foo __isset($name) Undefined property is checked
public Accessible from anywhere
self::foo() The current class __unset($name) Undefined property is unset
Accessible from the class and
protected parent::foo() The parent (extended) class
subclasses __call($name, $args) Undefined method is called

private Accessible from the class only static::foo() The called class (late static binding) __clone() Object is cloned (clone $obj)

© Nic Wortel, Software Consultant & Trainer - Updated for PHP 8.3 - Last updated on January 17, 2024 - Find more cheat sheets at https://nicwortel.nl/cheat-sheets
 Arithmetic Operators Comparison Operators String Operators
Operator Description Operator Description Operator Description
+ Addition == Equal (values are converted) . Concatenate
- Subtraction Identical (values and types .= Concatenate and assign
===
match)
* Multiplication
!= Not equal
/ Division Other Operators
<> Not equal Operator Description
% Modulus
!== Not identical Ternary operator: return $b if $a
** Exponentiation $a ? $b : $c
< Less than is true, otherwise return $c

> Greater than Short ternary: return $a if $a is

Bitwise Operators $a ?: $b
true, otherwise return $b
Operator Description <= Less than or equal to
Null coalescing: return $a if $a is
$a ?? $b
& And >= Greater than or equal to not null, otherwise return $b

| Or (inclusive) Returns -1, 0, or 1 if the first Null coalescing assignment:

$a ??= $b
<=> value is less than, equal to, or assign $b to $a if $a is null
^ Xor (exclusive) greater than the second value
Nullsafe: return $a->b if $a is not
$a?->b
~ Not null, otherwise return null
<< Shift left Incrementing/Decrementing Operators $a = &$b Assign $b by reference to $a
>> Shift right Operator Description Suppress errors in the following
@
Increments $a by one, then expression
++$a
returns $a Returns true if the left operand is
Assignment Operators instanceof
an instance of the right operand
Returns $a, then increments $a
Operator Description $a++
by one
= Assign
--$a
Decrements $a by one, then Command Line Interface (CLI)
+= Add and assign returns $a
Command Description
-= Subtract and assign Returns $a, then decrements $a
$a-- php <file> Parse and execute <file>
by one
*= Multiply and assign php -l <file> Syntax check <file>
/= Divide and assign
Logical Operators php -r <code>
Run PHP <code> without using
%= Modulus and assign script tags
Operator Description
**= Exponent and assign php -a Run an interactive shell
and And
&= Bitwise and and assign php -S <addr>:<port> Start built-in web server
or Or
|= Bitwise or and assign php -S <addr>:<port> -t Start built-in web server and
xor Exclusive or <dir> specify document root
^= Bitwise xor and assign ! Not php -m Show loaded modules
<<= Bitwise shift left and assign && And php -i Show configuration information
>>= Bitwise shift right and assign || Or php -v Show PHP version
php -h Show help

© Nic Wortel, Software Consultant & Trainer - Updated for PHP 8.3 - Last updated on January 17, 2024 - Find more cheat sheets at https://nicwortel.nl/cheat-sheets
 String Functions Array Functions Filesystem Functions
Function Description Function Description Function Description

strlen($string) Return length of $string Return number of elements in file_exists($filename) Return true if $filename exists
count($array)
$array
str_replace($search, Replace $search with $replace Return true if $filename is a
is_dir($filename)
$replace, $subject) in $subject sort($array) Sort $array directory

strstr($haystack, Return part of $haystack after array_merge($array1, Return true if $filename is a

Merge $array1 and $array2 is_file($filename)
$needle) $needle $array2) regular file

substr($string, $start, Return part of $string starting array_map($callback, Apply $callback to each Return true if $filename is
is_readable($filename)
readable
$length) at $start $array) element of $array
Return true if $filename is
strtolower($string) Return $string in lowercase array_filter($array, Return elements of $array for is_writable($filename)
writable
$callback) which $callback returns true
strtoupper($string) Return $string in uppercase Create directory named
Reduce $array to a single value mkdir($pathname)
Return $string with whitespace array_reduce($array, $pathname
trim($string) using $callback starting with
trimmed $callback, $initial)
$initial Remove directory named
rmdir($dirname)
Return $string with left $dirname
ltrim($string) Return part of $array starting at
whitespace trimmed array_slice($array, unlink($filename) Remove file named $filename
$offset and continuing for
$offset, $length)
Return $string with right $length elements
rtrim($string) file_get_contents($filename) Return contents of $filename
whitespace trimmed Return an array of keys from
array_keys($array) file_put_contents($filename,
$array Write $data to $filename
explode($delimiter, Split $string into an array by $data)
$string) $delimiter Return an array of values from
array_values($array)
Join $array into a string with $array
implode($glue, $array)
$glue
php.ini Directives
array_combine($keys, Return an array of key/value pairs
$values) from $keys and $values Directive Description
str_repeat($string, Repeat $string $multiplier
$multiplier) times date.timezone Set default timezone
Return a reversed copy of
array_reverse($array)
$array Set error reporting level (e.g.
error_reporting
E_ALL, E_ERROR)
Math Functions array_search($needle, Return the key of $needle in
$haystack) $haystack Whether to display errors (e.g. On
Function Description display_errors
or Off)
Return a copy of $array with
abs($num) Return absolute value of $num array_unique($array)
duplicate values removed Set error log file (e.g.
error_log
Round $num to the nearest /var/log/php.log)
round($num) array_diff($array1, Return elements of $array1 not
integer $array2) in $array2 Mode (e.g. debug, develop,
xdebug.mode
ceil($num) Round $num up profile)
array_intersect($array1, Return elements of $array1 also
floor($num) Round $num down $array2) in $array2 Enable Xdebug to discover client
xdebug.discover_client_host
host automatically
max($a, $b) Return the greater of $a and $b
min($a, $b) Return the lesser of $a and $b
Date/Time Functions
Enable Xdebug Step Debugging
Function Description
Return $a raised to the power of
pow($a, $b) XDEBUG_MODE=debug XDEBUG_SESSION=1 php <file>
$b Return current date/time
date($format)
formatted according to $format
Return a random number between Or for web applications using a browser extension: Firefox Helper
rand($min, $max)
$min and $max time() Return current Unix timestamp Chrome Helper
sqrt($num) Return square root of $num

© Nic Wortel, Software Consultant & Trainer - Updated for PHP 8.3 - Last updated on January 17, 2024 - Find more cheat sheets at https://nicwortel.nl/cheat-sheets