PHP for Beginners: The Basics

Arrays and Control Flow

1 min read Last updated 45 minutes ago

Arrays and loops let you work with collections of data.

Indexed arrays

php

<?php
$fruits = ['apple', 'banana', 'cherry'];
echo $fruits[0]; // apple

Associative arrays

php

<?php
$user = [
    'name' => 'Ada',
    'role' => 'admin',
    'online' => true,
];

echo $user['name']; // Ada

Conditions

php

<?php
$score = 85;

if ($score >= 90) {
    echo "Grade: A";
} elseif ($score >= 75) {
    echo "Grade: B";
} else {
    echo "Grade: C";
}

Loops

php

<?php
for ($i = 1; $i <= 5; $i++) {
    echo $i . " ";
}
// 1 2 3 4 5

$count = 0;
while ($count < 3) {
    echo "tick ";
    $count++;
}
// tick tick tick

Foreach — the workhorse

php

<?php
$products = [
    ['name' => 'Keyboard', 'price' => 49],
    ['name' => 'Mouse',    'price' => 25],
];

foreach ($products as $product) {
    echo $product['name'] . ': $' . $product['price'] . PHP_EOL;
}

✓

foreach with keys

Use foreach ($array as $key => $value) when you also need the key.

The ternary operator

php

<?php
$age = 20;
$status = $age >= 18 ? 'adult' : 'minor';
echo $status; // adult

Use ternaries for short branches only — nested ternaries are a readability trap.

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