PHP: empty() function

Description

The empty() function is used to check whether a variable is empty or not. Often, you may encounter a scenario, when you need to code in fashion if a variable is empty or another thing if it is not so. In these situations, empty function comes to rescue.

Version:

(PHP 4 and above)

Syntax:

empty(var_name)

Parameter:

*Mixed : Mixed indicates that a parameter may accept multiple (but not necessarily all) types.

Return value:

FALSE if var_name has a non-empty and non-zero value.

Value Type: Boolean

List of empty things :

• "0" (0 as a string)
• 0 (0 as an integer)
• "" (an empty string)
• NULL
• FALSE
• "" (an empty string)
• array() (an empty array)
• $var_name; (a variable declared but without a value in a class)

Example :

<?php
$ivar1=0;
$istr1='Learning empty';
if (empty($ivar1))
{
echo '$ivar1'." is empty or 0. <br />";
}
else
{
echo '$ivar1'." is not empty or 0. <br />";
}
if (empty($istr1))
{
echo '$istr1'." is empty or 0. <br />";
}
else
{
echo '$istr1' ." string is not empty or 0. <br />";
}
?>      

Output:

$ivar1 is empty or 0.
$istr1 string is not empty or 0. 

View the example in the browser

Practice here online :

See also

PHP Function Reference

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