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PHP: array_unique() function

PHP: Removes duplicate values from an array

The array_unique() is used to remove duplicate values from an array.

Note: The keys are preserved. array_unique() sorts the values treated as a string at first, then will keep the first key encountered for every value, and ignore all following keys. It does not mean that the key of the first related value from the unsorted array will be kept.

Version:

(PHP 4 and above)

Syntax:

array_unique(array1, sort_flags)

Parameters:

Name Description Required /
Optional		 Type
array1 The input array. Required Array
sort_flags sort_flags is used to modify the sorting behavior using following values:
SORT_REGULAR - compare items normally.
SORT_NUMERIC - compare items numerically
SORT_STRING - compare items as strings
SORT_LOCALE_STRING - compare items as strings, based on the current locale		 Optional Integer

Note: Two elements are considered equal if and only if (string) $elem1 === (string) $elem2 i.e. when the string representation is the same, the first element will be used.

Return value

The filtered array.

Value Type: Array

Example:

<?php
$fruits_list = array('Orange',  'Apple', ' Banana', 'Cherry', ' Banana');
$result = array_unique($fruits_list);
print_r($result);
?>

Output:

Array ( [0] => Orange [1] => Apple [2] => Banana [3] => Cherry )

Pictorial Presentation:

php function reference: array_unique() function

View the example in the browser

Practice here online :

See also

PHP Function Reference

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Next: array_unshift



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PHP: Tips of the Day

Preferred method to store PHP arrays (json_encode vs serialize)

Depends on your priorities.

If performance is your absolute driving characteristic, then by all means use the fastest one. Just make sure you have a full understanding of the differences before you make a choice

  • Unlike serialize() you need to add extra parameter to keep UTF-8 characters untouched: json_encode($array, JSON_UNESCAPED_UNICODE) (otherwise it converts UTF-8 characters to Unicode escape sequences).
  • JSON will have no memory of what the object's original class was (they are always restored as instances of stdClass).
  • You can't leverage __sleep() and __wakeup() with JSON
  • By default, only public properties are serialized with JSON. (in PHP>=5.4 you can implement JsonSerializable to change this behavior).
  • JSON is more portable

And there's probably a few other differences I can't think of at the moment.

A simple speed test to compare the two

<?php

ini_set('display_errors', 1);
error_reporting(E_ALL);

// Make a big, honkin test array
// You may need to adjust this depth to avoid memory limit errors
$testArray = fillArray(0, 5);

// Time json encoding
$start = microtime(true);
json_encode($testArray);
$jsonTime = microtime(true) - $start;
echo "JSON encoded in $jsonTime seconds\n";

// Time serialization
$start = microtime(true);
serialize($testArray);
$serializeTime = microtime(true) - $start;
echo "PHP serialized in $serializeTime seconds\n";

// Compare them
if ($jsonTime < $serializeTime) {
    printf("json_encode() was roughly %01.2f%% faster than serialize()\n", ($serializeTime / $jsonTime - 1) * 100);
}
else if ($serializeTime < $jsonTime ) {
    printf("serialize() was roughly %01.2f%% faster than json_encode()\n", ($jsonTime / $serializeTime - 1) * 100);
} else {
    echo "Impossible!\n";
}

function fillArray( $depth, $max ) {
    static $seed;
    if (is_null($seed)) {
        $seed = array('a', 2, 'c', 4, 'e', 6, 'g', 8, 'i', 10);
    }
    if ($depth < $max) {
        $node = array();
        foreach ($seed as $key) {
            $node[$key] = fillArray($depth + 1, $max);
        }
        return $node;
    }
    return 'empty';
}

Ref : https://bit.ly/3jqrgFL