PHP Operator Types

PHP operators are special symbols used to perform operations on variables and values. In PHP, operators can be categorized into several types, each serving distinct purposes. Understanding these operators is essential for writing effective PHP code.

1. Arithmetic Operators

These operators perform basic mathematical operations.

• Addition (+): Adds two numbers.
  Example: 5 + 2 results in 7
• Subtraction (-): Subtracts one number from another.
  Example: 5 - 2 results in 3
• Multiplication (*): Multiplies two numbers.
  Example: 5 * 2 results in 10
• Division (/): Divides one number by another.
  Example: 5 / 2 results in 2.5
• Modulus (%): Returns the remainder of a division operation.
  Example: 5 % 2 results in 1

2. Assignment Operators

These operators assign values to variables.

• Simple assignment (=): Assigns the right-hand value to the left-hand variable.
  Example: $a = 5
• Addition assignment (+=): Adds a value to a variable and assigns the result.
  Example: $a += 2 is equivalent to $a = $a + 2

3. Comparison Operators

These operators are used to compare two values.

• Equal (==): Checks if two values are equal.
  Example: 5 == '5' results in true
• Identical (===): Checks if two values are equal and of the same type.
  Example: 5 === '5' results in false
• Not equal (!=): Checks if two values are not equal.
  Example: 5 != 3 results in true

4. Increment/Decrement Operators

These operators increase or decrease a variable's value by one.

• Increment (++): Increases a variable's value by one.
  Example: $a++ (post-increment) or ++$a (pre-increment)
• Decrement (--): Decreases a variable's value by one.
  Example: $a-- (post-decrement) or --$a (pre-decrement)

5. Logical Operators

These operators are used to combine conditional statements.

• AND (&&): Returns true if both operands are true.
  Example: (5 > 3) && (2 < 4) results in true
• OR (||): Returns true if at least one operand is true.
  Example: (5 > 3) || (2 > 4) results in true
• NOT (!): Reverses the logical state of its operand.
  Example: !(5 > 3) results in false

6. String Operators

These operators are used to concatenate strings.

• Concatenation (.): Joins two strings together.
  Example: 'Hello ' . 'World' results in 'Hello World'
• Concatenation assignment (.=): Appends a string to a variable.
  Example: $a .= ' World' appends ' World' to $a

7. Array Operators

These operators are used to compare arrays.

• Union (+): Combines two arrays.
  Example: [1, 2] + [2, 3] results in [1, 2, 3]
• Equality (==): Checks if two arrays have the same key/value pairs.
  Example: array(1, 2) == array(1, 2) results in true

Conclusion

Understanding PHP operators is fundamental for performing operations in PHP programming. Each type of operator serves a specific role, from arithmetic to logical operations, and mastering them will enhance your coding skills in PHP.