🔢 PHP Indexed Array – Store and Access Ordered Data in PHP

A complete guide to creating, accessing, and working with indexed arrays in PHP.

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🧲 Introduction – What Is an Indexed Array?

An indexed array in PHP is a type of array where elements are assigned numeric keys starting from 0 by default. It’s perfect for storing ordered lists of items such as colors, numbers, or product names.

🎯 In this guide, you’ll learn:

• How to create and access indexed arrays
• Looping techniques for indexed arrays
• Common operations like sorting and counting
• Real-world usage and best practices

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✅ Creating Indexed Arrays

Using Square Bracket Syntax (Preferred)

$colors = ["red", "green", "blue"];

Using array() Function (Legacy)

$colors = array("red", "green", "blue");

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🎯 Accessing Indexed Array Elements

$colors = ["red", "green", "blue"];

echo $colors[0]; // red
echo $colors[1]; // green

📘 Array indexes start at 0 and increase by one for each element.

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🔁 Looping Through Indexed Arrays

Using foreach Loop

$fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"];

foreach ($fruits as $fruit) {
    echo $fruit . "<br>";
}

Using for Loop

$fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"];

for ($i = 0; $i < count($fruits); $i++) {
    echo $fruits[$i] . "<br>";
}

📘 Use foreach for cleaner syntax unless you need the index.

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🧮 Add, Update, and Remove Elements

Add New Item

$colors[] = "yellow"; // adds to the end

Update Existing Item

$colors[1] = "lime"; // replaces "green" with "lime"

Remove an Item

unset($colors[2]); // removes "blue"

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📊 Useful Indexed Array Functions

Function	Description	Example
count()	Returns number of items	count($colors)
array_push()	Adds one or more elements	array_push($colors, "pink")
array_pop()	Removes the last element	array_pop($colors)
sort()	Sorts array in ascending order	sort($colors)
rsort()	Sorts array in descending order	rsort($colors)
in_array()	Checks if value exists in array	in_array("red", $colors)

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🔬 Indexed vs Associative Arrays

Feature	Indexed Array	Associative Array
Keys	Numeric (0,1,2,…)	String-based (“name”, etc.)
Use Case	Ordered collections	Key-value pair structures

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🧠 Best Practices

• ✅ Use [] syntax for simplicity
• ✅ Loop with foreach unless you need the index
• ❌ Don’t mix associative keys in indexed arrays
• ✅ Use count() to avoid hardcoding loop limits

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📌 Summary – Recap & Next Steps

PHP indexed arrays are the simplest way to handle ordered collections of data. They’re widely used for lists, dropdowns, menu items, and more.

🔍 Key Takeaways:

• Indexed arrays use numeric keys starting from 0
• Use [] or array() to define them
• Easily loop through using foreach or for
• PHP provides many helpful array functions for manipulation

⚙️ Real-World Use Cases:
Navigation menus, ordered product lists, color swatches, and dropdown fields.

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

❓ What is the default index of a PHP array?
✅ If not specified, it starts from 0 and increments by 1.

❓ Can I skip index numbers in an indexed array?
✅ Yes, but doing so turns it into a non-continuous indexed array.

❓ How to check if a value exists in an indexed array?
✅ Use in_array("value", $array);

❓ Can I mix keys in an indexed array?
❌ Technically yes, but it’s not recommended for clarity and consistency.

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