PHP array_filter(): How to Filter an Array in PHP

The array_filter() function filters the values of the array using the callback function. The array_filter() function passes each value of an input array to the callback function. If the callback function returns a true value, the current value from ant input is returned into the result array.

PHP array_filter()

The array_filter() is a built-in PHP function that filters the values of an array using a callback function. The array_filter() iterates over each value in an array, passing them to the callback function. If the callback function returns a true value, the current value from an array is returned to the result array. Array keys are preserved.

Array keys are preserved.

Let’s take an example.

<?php

// app.php

function even($value)
{
  return $value % 2 == 0;
}

$arr = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
print_r(array_filter($arr,"even"));

In the above code, we are checking every array item which is even; if it is odd, then it will be filtered out from the array, and only even item stays in the array.

The output is following.

We can also write the array_filter() function like the following.

<?php

// app.php

$arr = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
$output = array_filter($arr, function($value) {
  return $value % 2 == 0;  
});
print_r($output);

The output will be the same as above; we have just written an anonymous function.

<?php

// app.php

$arr = ['a' => 1, 'b' => 2, 'c' => 3, 'd' => 4];
$outputA = array_filter($arr, function($k) {
  return $k == 'b';
}, ARRAY_FILTER_USE_KEY);
print_r($outputA);

ARRAY_FILTER_USE_BOTH

<?php

// app.php

$arr = ['a' => 1, 'b' => 2, 'c' => 3, 'd' => 4];

$outputB = array_filter($arr, function($v, $k) {
  return $k == 'b' || $v == 4;
}, ARRAY_FILTER_USE_BOTH);
print_r($outputB);

Accessing Keys in array_filter() function

<?php

// app.php

$data = array('first' => 1, 'second' => 2, 'third' => 3);
$data = array_filter($data, function ($item) use (&$data) {
    echo "Filtering key ", key($data)."\n";
    next($data);
});

That’s it for this example.