array_merge

(PHP 4, PHP 5, PHP 7, PHP 8)

array_merge — Merge one or more arrays

Description

array_merge(array ...$arrays): array

Merges the elements of one or more arrays together so that the values of one are appended to the end of the previous one. It returns the resulting array.

If the input arrays have the same string keys, then the later value for that key will overwrite the previous one. If, however, the arrays contain numeric keys, the later value will not overwrite the original value, but will be appended.

Values in the input arrays with numeric keys will be renumbered with incrementing keys starting from zero in the result array.

Parameters

arrays: Variable list of arrays to merge.

Return Values

Returns the resulting array. If called without any arguments, returns an empty array.

Changelog

Version	Description
7.4.0	This function can now be called without any parameter. Formerly, at least one parameter has been required.

Examples

Example #1 array_merge() example

<?php
$array1 = array("color" => "red", 2, 4);
$array2 = array("a", "b", "color" => "green", "shape" => "trapezoid", 4);
$result = array_merge($array1, $array2);
print_r($result);
?>

The above example will output:

Array
(
    [color] => green
    [0] => 2
    [1] => 4
    [2] => a
    [3] => b
    [shape] => trapezoid
    [4] => 4
)

Example #2 Simple array_merge() example

<?php
$array1 = array();
$array2 = array(1 => "data");
$result = array_merge($array1, $array2);
?>

Don't forget that numeric keys will be renumbered!

Array
(
    [0] => data
)

If you want to append array elements from the second array to the first array while not overwriting the elements from the first array and not re-indexing, use the + array union operator:

<?php
$array1 = array(0 => 'zero_a', 2 => 'two_a', 3 => 'three_a');
$array2 = array(1 => 'one_b', 3 => 'three_b', 4 => 'four_b');
$result = $array1 + $array2;
var_dump($result);
?>

The keys from the first array will be preserved. If an array key exists in both arrays, then the element from the first array will be used and the matching key's element from the second array will be ignored.

array(5) {
  [0]=>
  string(6) "zero_a"
  [2]=>
  string(5) "two_a"
  [3]=>
  string(7) "three_a"
  [1]=>
  string(5) "one_b"
  [4]=>
  string(6) "four_b"
}

Example #3 array_merge() with non-array types

<?php
$beginning = 'foo';
$end = array(1 => 'bar');
$result = array_merge((array)$beginning, (array)$end);
print_r($result);
?>

The above example will output:

    Array
    (
        [0] => foo
        [1] => bar
    )

User Contributed Notes 8 notes

down

303

Julian Egelstaff ¶

14 years ago

In some situations, the union operator ( + ) might be more useful to you than array_merge.  The array_merge function does not preserve numeric key values.  If you need to preserve the numeric keys, then using + will do that.

ie:

<?php

$array1[0] = "zero";
$array1[1] = "one";

$array2[1] = "one";
$array2[2] = "two";
$array2[3] = "three";

$array3 = $array1 + $array2;

//This will result in::

$array3 = array(0=>"zero", 1=>"one", 2=>"two", 3=>"three");

?>

Note the implicit "array_unique" that gets applied as well.  In some situations where your numeric keys matter, this behaviour could be useful, and better than array_merge.

--Julian

down

ChrisM ¶

2 years ago

I wished to point out that while other comments state that the spread operator should be faster than array_merge, I have actually found the opposite to be true for normal arrays. This is the case in both PHP 7.4 as well as PHP 8.0. The difference should be negligible for most applications, but I wanted to point this out for accuracy.

Below is the code used to test, along with the results:

<?php
$before = microtime(true);

for ($i=0 ; $i<10000000 ; $i++) {
    $array1 = ['apple','orange','banana'];
    $array2 = ['carrot','lettuce','broccoli'];
    
    $array1 = [...$array1,...$array2];
}

$after = microtime(true);
echo ($after-$before) . " sec for spread\n";

$before = microtime(true);

for ($i=0 ; $i<10000000 ; $i++) {
    $array1 = ['apple','orange','banana'];
    $array2 = ['carrot','lettuce','broccoli'];
    
    $array1 = array_merge($array1,$array2);
}

$after = microtime(true);
echo ($after-$before) . " sec for array_merge\n";
?>

PHP 7.4:
1.2135608196259 sec for spread
1.1402177810669 sec for array_merge

PHP 8.0:
1.1952061653137 sec for spread
1.099925994873 sec for array_merge

down

Andreas Hofmann ¶

2 years ago

In addition to the text and Julian Egelstaffs comment regarding to keep the keys preserved with the + operator:
When they say "input arrays with numeric keys will be renumbered" they MEAN it. If you think you are smart and put your numbered keys into strings, this won't help. Strings which contain an integer will also be renumbered! I fell into this trap while merging two arrays with book ISBNs as keys. So let's have this example:

<?php
    $test1['24'] = 'Mary';
    $test1['17'] = 'John';

    $test2['67'] = 'Phil';
    $test2['33'] = 'Brandon';

    $result1 = array_merge($test1, $test2);
    var_dump($result1);

    $result2 = [...$test1, ...$test2];    // mentioned by fsb
    var_dump($result2);
?>

You will get both:

array(4) {
  [0]=>
  string(4) "Mary"
  [1]=>
  string(4) "John"
  [2]=>
  string(4) "Phil"
  [3]=>
  string(7) "Brandon"
}

Use the + operator or array_replace, this will preserve - somewhat - the keys:

<?php
    $result1 = array_replace($test1, $test2);
    var_dump($result1);

    $result2 = $test1 + $test2;
    var_dump($result2);
?>

You will get both:

array(4) {
  [24]=>
  string(4) "Mary"
  [17]=>
  string(4) "John"
  [67]=>
  string(4) "Phil"
  [33]=>
  string(7) "Brandon"
}

The keys will keep the same, the order will keep the same, but with a little caveat: The keys will be converted to integers.

down

fsb at thefsb dot org ¶

4 years ago

We no longer need array_merge() as of PHP 7.4.

    [...$a, ...$b]

does the same as

    array_merge($a, $b)

and can be faster too.

https://wiki.php.net/rfc/spread_operator_for_array#advantages_over_array_merge

down

JoshE ¶

2 years ago

Not to contradict ChrisM's test, but I ran their code example and I got very different results for PHP 8.0.

Testing PHP 8.0.14
1.4955070018768 sec for spread
4.4120140075684 sec for array_merge

down

-1

gwyneth dot llewelyn at gwynethllewelyn dot net ¶

9 months ago

If you're trying to merge an array with something that evaluates to NULL, you'll get unpredictable results:

<?php
        $a = ['1', '2', '4'];
        $b = null;

        var_dump($a);
        var_dump($b);

        $c = array_merge($a, $b);  // this won't work
        echo "The merged array is:";
        var_dump($c);
?>

Depending on your error setting, you might not even get anything at all.

Under PHP 7.4:

array(3) {
  [0]=>
  string(1) "1"
  [1]=>
  string(1) "2"
  [2]=>
  string(1) "4"
}
NULL
PHP Warning:  array_merge(): Expected parameter 2 to be an array, null given in /home/gwyneth/stupid-test.php on line 8
The merged array is: NULL

Under PHP 8.{0,1,2}:

array(3) {
  [0]=>
  string(1) "1"
  [1]=>
  string(1) "2"
  [2]=>
  string(1) "4"
}
NULL
PHP Fatal error:  Uncaught TypeError: array_merge(): Argument #2 must be of type array, null given in /home/gwyneth/stupid-test.php:8
Stack trace:
#0 /home/gwyneth/stupid-test.php(8): array_merge()
#1 {main}
  thrown in /home/gwyneth/stupid-test.php on line 8

Depending on your display/debug settings, you might not even get anything.

The solution, of course, is to do a quick & dirty test before passing the 2nd argument:

<?php
        $a = ['1', '2', '4'];
        $b = null;

        var_dump($a);
        var_dump($b);

        $c = array_merge($a, $b ?? []);
        echo "The merged array is:";
        var_dump($c);
?>

Which gives the expected result (PHP 7.4 to PHP 8.2):

array(3) {
  [0]=>
  string(1) "1"
  [1]=>
  string(1) "2"
  [2]=>
  string(1) "4"
}
NULL
The merged array is:array(3) {
  [0]=>
  string(1) "1"
  [1]=>
  string(1) "2"
  [2]=>
  string(1) "4"
}

While it's perfectly legitimate to merge empty arrays, null is *not* an empty array!

down

-2

Hayley Watson ¶

1 year ago

Using the spread operator with array_merge allows merging any number of arrays together in one operation:

<?php
array_merge(...$array_of_arrays);
?>

Perhaps $array_of_arrays was built up in a loop, with $array_of_arrays[] = $another_array inside the loop. Collecting the arrays together this way and then merging them all at once is many times faster than repeatedly merging arrays two at a time (doing array_merge inside the loop).

down

-5

php at k dot ull dot at ¶

1 year ago

Merge two arrays and retain only unique values.
Append values from second array.
Do not care about keys.

$array1 = [
    0 => 'apple',
    1 => 'orange',
    2 => 'pear',
];

$array2 = [
    0 => 'melon',
    1 => 'orange',
    2 => 'banana',
];

$result = array_keys(
    array_flip($array1) + array_flip($array2)
);

Result:
[
  [0] => "apple",
  [1] => "orange",
  [2] => "pear",
  [3] => "melon",
  [4] => "banana",
}

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array_merge

Description

Parameters

Return Values

Changelog

Examples

See Also

User Contributed Notes 8 notes