There are different ways to delete an array element, where some are more useful for some specific tasks than others. Deleting a single array elementIf you want to delete just one array
element you can use unset() or alternatively \array_splice() . If you know the value and don’t know the key to delete the element you can use \array_search() to get the key. This only works if the element
does not occur more than once, since \array_search returns the first hit only. unset()
Note that when you use unset() the array keys won’t change. If you want to reindex the keys you can use \array_values() after unset() , which will convert all keys to numerically enumerated keys starting from 0. Code:
$array = [0 => "a", 1 => "b", 2 => "c"];
unset($array[1]);
// ↑ Key which you want to delete
Output: [
[0] => a
[2] => c
]
\array_splice() methodIf you use \array_splice() the keys will automatically be reindexed, but the associative keys won’t change — as opposed to \array_values() , which will convert all keys to numerical keys. \array_splice() needs the offset, not the key, as the second parameter.
Code: $array = [0 => "a", 1 => "b", 2 => "c"];
\array_splice($array, 1, 1);
// ↑ Offset which you want to delete
Output: [
[0] => a
[1] => c
]
array_splice() , same as unset() , take the
array by reference. You don’t assign the return values of those functions back to the array.
Deleting multiple array elementsIf you want to delete multiple array elements and don’t want to call unset() or \array_splice() multiple times you can use the functions \array_diff() or \array_diff_key() depending on whether you know the values or the keys of the elements which you want to delete. \array_diff()
methodIf you know the values of the array elements which you want to delete, then you can use \array_diff() . As before with unset() it won’t change the keys of the array. Code: $array = [0 => "a", 1 => "b", 2 => "c", 3 => "c"];
$array = \array_diff($array, ["a", "c"]);
// └────────┘
// Array values which you want to delete
Output: [
[1] => b
]
\array_diff_key() methodIf you know the keys of the elements which you want to delete, then you want to use \array_diff_key() . You have to make sure you pass the keys as keys in the second
parameter and not as values. Keys won’t reindex. Code: $array = [0 => "a", 1 => "b", 2 => "c"];
$array = \array_diff_key($array, [0 => "xy", "2" => "xy"]);
// ↑ ↑
// Array keys which you want to delete
Output: [
[1] => b
]
If you want to use unset() or \array_splice() to delete multiple elements with the same value you can use \array_keys() to get all the keys for a specific value and then delete all elements. \array_filter() method
If you want to delete all elements with a specific value in the array you can use \array_filter() . Code: $array = [0 => "a", 1 => "b", 2 => "c"];
$array = \array_filter($array, static function ($element) {
return $element !== "b";
// ↑
// Array value which you want to delete
});
Output: [
[0] => a
[1] => c
]
15 It should be noted
that unset() will keep indexes untouched, which is what you'd expect when using string indexes (array as hashtable), but can be quite surprising when dealing with integer indexed arrays: $array = array(0, 1, 2, 3);
unset($array[2]);
var_dump($array);
/* array(3) {
[0]=>
int(0)
[1]=>
int(1)
[3]=>
int(3)
} */
$array = array(0, 1, 2, 3);
array_splice($array, 2, 1);
var_dump($array);
/* array(3) {
[0]=>
int(0)
[1]=>
int(1)
[2]=>
int(3)
} */
So array_splice() can be used if you'd like to normalize your integer keys. Another option is using
array_values() after unset() : $array = array(0, 1, 2, 3);
unset($array[2]);
$array = array_values($array);
var_dump($array);
/* array(3) {
[0]=>
int(0)
[1]=>
int(1)
[2]=>
int(3)
} */
Ry-♦ 212k54 gold badges442 silver badges456 bronze badges answered Dec 15, 2008 at 21:25 Stefan GehrigStefan Gehrig 81.5k24 gold badges155 silver
badges185 bronze badges 9 // Our initial array
$arr = array("blue", "green", "red", "yellow", "green", "orange", "yellow", "indigo", "red");
print_r($arr);
// Remove the elements who's values are yellow or red
$arr = array_diff($arr, array("yellow", "red"));
print_r($arr);
This is the output from the code above: Array
(
[0] => blue
[1] => green
[2] => red
[3] => yellow
[4] => green
[5] => orange
[6] => yellow
[7] => indigo
[8] => red
)
Array
(
[0] => blue
[1] => green
[4] => green
[5] => orange
[7] => indigo
)
Now, array_values() will
reindex a numerical array nicely, but it will remove all key strings from the array and replace them with numbers. If you need to preserve the key names (strings), or reindex the array if all keys are numerical, use array_merge(): $arr = array_merge(array_diff($arr, array("yellow", "red")));
print_r($arr);
Outputs Array
(
[0] => blue
[1] => green
[2] => green
[3] => orange
[4] => indigo
)
answered Aug 2, 2011 at 15:57 Marcel
CozmaMarcel Cozma 4,2891 gold badge17 silver badges17 bronze badges 3 $key = array_search($needle, $array);
if ($key !== false) {
unset($array[$key]);
}
answered Nov 15, 2011 at 11:29 liamvictorliamvictor 3,1711 gold badge22 silver badges25 bronze
badges 2 answered Dec 15, 2008 at 20:31
Eran GalperinEran Galperin 85.5k24 gold
badges115 silver badges132 bronze badges Also, for a named element: unset($array["elementName"]);
Mohammad 20.6k15 gold badges53 silver badges80 bronze badges
answered Jul 31, 2010 at 1:06 5 If you have a numerically indexed array where all values are unique (or they are non-unique but you wish to remove all instances of a particular value), you can simply use array_diff() to remove a matching element, like this: $my_array = array_diff($my_array, array('Value_to_remove'));
For example: $my_array = array('Andy', 'Bertha', 'Charles', 'Diana');
echo sizeof($my_array) . "\n";
$my_array = array_diff($my_array, array('Charles'));
echo sizeof($my_array);
This displays the
following: 4
3
In this example, the element with the value 'Charles' is removed as can be verified by the sizeof() calls that report a size of 4 for the initial array, and 3 after the removal. answered Nov 26, 2012 at 8:25 Robin NixonRobin Nixon 7115 silver badges2 bronze badges 1 Destroy a single element of an array unset()
$array1 = array('A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E');
unset($array1[2]); // Delete known index(2) value from array
var_dump($array1);
The output will be: array(4) {
[0]=>
string(1) "A"
[1]=>
string(1) "B"
[3]=>
string(1) "D"
[4]=>
string(1) "E"
}
If you need to re index the array: $array1 = array_values($array1);
var_dump($array1);
Then the output will be: array(4) {
[0]=>
string(1) "A"
[1]=>
string(1) "B"
[2]=>
string(1) "D"
[3]=>
string(1) "E"
}
Pop the element off the end of
array - return the value of the removed element mixed array_pop(array &$array)
$stack = array("orange", "banana", "apple", "raspberry");
$last_fruit = array_pop($stack);
print_r($stack);
print_r('Last Fruit:'.$last_fruit); // Last element of the array
The output will be Array
(
[0] => orange
[1] => banana
[2] => apple
)
Last Fruit: raspberry
Remove the first element (red) from an array, - return the value of the removed element mixed array_shift ( array &$array )
$color = array("a" => "red", "b" => "green" , "c" => "blue");
$first_color = array_shift($color);
print_r ($color);
print_r ('First Color: '.$first_color);
The output will be: Array
(
[b] => green
[c] => blue
)
First Color: red
answered Jul 19, 2015 at 15:37 KTAnjKTAnj 1,32614 silver badges35 bronze badges 2 <?php
$stack = ["fruit1", "fruit2", "fruit3", "fruit4"];
$fruit = array_shift($stack);
print_r($stack);
echo $fruit;
?>
Output: [
[0] => fruit2
[1] => fruit3
[2] => fruit4
]
fruit1
answered Jun 11, 2013 at 5:51
5 If the index is specified: $arr = ['a', 'b', 'c'];
$index = 0;
unset($arr[$index]); // $arr = ['b', 'c']
If we have value instead of index: $arr = ['a', 'b', 'c'];
// search the value to find index
// Notice! this will only find the first occurrence of value
$index = array_search('a', $arr);
if($index !== false){
unset($arr[$index]); // $arr = ['b', 'c']
}
The if condition is necessary because if index is not found, unset() will automatically delete the first element of the array which is not what we want. answered May 23, 2019 at 12:26
Ahmad MobarakiAhmad Mobaraki 6,2053 gold
badges47 silver badges65 bronze badges 7 If you have to delete multiple values in an array and the entries in
that array are objects or structured data, array_filter() is your best bet. Those entries that return a true from the callback function will be retained. $array = [
['x'=>1,'y'=>2,'z'=>3],
['x'=>2,'y'=>4,'z'=>6],
['x'=>3,'y'=>6,'z'=>9]
];
$results = array_filter($array, function($value) {
return $value['x'] > 2;
}); //=> [['x'=>3,'y'=>6,z=>'9']]
Dharman♦ 28k21 gold badges75 silver badges127 bronze badges answered Feb 18, 2016 at 1:40 spylespyle 1,92026 silver badges23 bronze badges If you need to remove multiple elements from an associative array, you can use array_diff_key() (here used with array_flip()): $my_array = array(
"key1" => "value 1",
"key2" => "value 2",
"key3" => "value 3",
"key4" => "value 4",
"key5" => "value 5",
);
$to_remove = array("key2", "key4");
$result = array_diff_key($my_array, array_flip($to_remove));
print_r($result);
Output: Array ( [key1] => value 1 [key3] => value 3 [key5] => value 5 )
answered Apr 20, 2016 at 21:05 SimonSimon 3,3102 gold badges20 silver badges22 bronze badges 2 Associative arraysFor associative arrays, use unset : $arr = array('a' => 1, 'b' => 2, 'c' => 3);
unset($arr['b']);
// RESULT: array('a' => 1, 'c' => 3)
Numeric arraysFor numeric arrays, use
array_splice : $arr = array(1, 2, 3);
array_splice($arr, 1, 1);
// RESULT: array(0 => 1, 1 => 3)
NoteUsing unset for numeric arrays will not produce an error, but it will mess up your indexes: $arr = array(1, 2, 3);
unset($arr[1]);
// RESULT: array(0 => 1, 2 => 3)
answered Mar 11, 2016 at 18:48 John SlegersJohn Slegers 42.8k22 gold badges194 silver badges163 bronze badges unset() destroys the specified variables.
The behavior of unset() inside of a function can vary depending on what type of variable you are attempting to destroy. If a globalized variable is unset() inside of a function, only the local variable is destroyed. The variable in the calling environment will retain the same value as before unset() was called. <?php
function destroy_foo()
{
global $foo;
unset($foo);
}
$foo = 'bar';
destroy_foo();
echo $foo;
?>
The answer of the
above code will be bar. To unset() a global variable inside of a function: <?php
function foo()
{
unset($GLOBALS['bar']);
}
$bar = "something";
foo();
?>
answered Jul 26, 2013 at 20:11
// Remove by value
function removeFromArr($arr, $val)
{
unset($arr[array_search($val, $arr)]);
return array_values($arr);
}
answered Apr 2, 2016 at 18:42 GigolandGigoland 9119 silver badges10 bronze badges 1 Solutions: - To delete one element, use unset():
unset($array[3]);
unset($array['foo']);
- To delete multiple noncontiguous elements, also use unset():
unset($array[3], $array[5]);
unset($array['foo'], $array['bar']);
- To delete multiple contiguous elements, use array_splice():
array_splice($array, $offset, $length);
Further explanation: Using these functions removes all references to these elements from PHP. If you want to keep a key in the array, but with an empty value, assign the empty string to the element: $array[3] = $array['foo'] = '';
Besides syntax, there's a
logical difference between using unset() and assigning '' to the element. The first says This doesn't exist anymore, while the second says This still exists, but its value is the empty string. If you're dealing with numbers, assigning 0 may be a better alternative. So, if a company stopped production of the model XL1000 sprocket, it would update its inventory with: unset($products['XL1000']);
However, if it temporarily ran out of XL1000 sprockets, but was planning to receive a
new shipment from the plant later this week, this is better: $products['XL1000'] = 0;
If you unset() an element, PHP adjusts the array so that looping still works correctly. It doesn't compact the array to fill in the missing holes. This is what we mean when we say that all arrays are associative, even when they appear to be numeric. Here's an example: // Create a "numeric" array
$animals = array('ant', 'bee', 'cat', 'dog', 'elk', 'fox');
print $animals[1]; // Prints 'bee'
print $animals[2]; // Prints 'cat'
count($animals); // Returns 6
// unset()
unset($animals[1]); // Removes element $animals[1] = 'bee'
print $animals[1]; // Prints '' and throws an E_NOTICE error
print $animals[2]; // Still prints 'cat'
count($animals); // Returns 5, even though $array[5] is 'fox'
// Add a new element
$animals[ ] = 'gnu'; // Add a new element (not Unix)
print $animals[1]; // Prints '', still empty
print $animals[6]; // Prints 'gnu', this is where 'gnu' ended up
count($animals); // Returns 6
// Assign ''
$animals[2] = ''; // Zero out value
print $animals[2]; // Prints ''
count($animals); // Returns 6, count does not decrease
To compact the array into a densely filled numeric
array, use array_values(): $animals = array_values($animals);
Alternatively, array_splice() automatically reindexes arrays to avoid leaving holes: // Create a "numeric" array
$animals = array('ant', 'bee', 'cat', 'dog', 'elk', 'fox');
array_splice($animals, 2, 2);
print_r($animals);
Array
(
[0] => ant
[1] => bee
[2] => elk
[3] => fox
)
This is useful if you're using the array as a queue and want to remove items from the queue while still allowing random access. To safely remove the first or last
element from an array, use array_shift() and array_pop(), respectively.
answered Jan 29, 2018 at 11:08 Abdur RehmanAbdur Rehman 3,1325 gold badges32 silver badges47 bronze badges Follow the default functions: unset() destroys the specified variables. For more info, you can refer to PHP unset
$Array = array("test1", "test2", "test3", "test3");
unset($Array[2]);
The array_pop() function deletes the last element of an array. For more
info, you can refer to PHP array_pop $Array = array("test1", "test2", "test3", "test3");
array_pop($Array);
The array_splice() function removes selected elements from an array and replaces it with new elements. For more info, you can refer to PHP array_splice $Array = array("test1", "test2", "test3", "test3");
array_splice($Array,1,2);
The array_shift() function removes the first element from an array. For more info, you can refer to PHP array_shift $Array = array("test1", "test2", "test3", "test3");
array_shift($Array);
Rabby 3024 silver badges15 bronze badges answered Jan 25, 2016 at 13:07 msvairammsvairam 8325 silver badges12 bronze badges I'd just like to say I had a particular object that had variable attributes (it was basically mapping a table and I was changing the columns in the table, so the attributes in the object, reflecting the table would vary as well): class obj {
protected $fields = array('field1','field2');
protected $field1 = array();
protected $field2 = array();
protected loadfields(){}
// This will load the $field1 and $field2 with rows of data for the column they describe
protected function clearFields($num){
foreach($fields as $field) {
unset($this->$field[$num]);
// This did not work the line below worked
unset($this->{$field}[$num]); // You have to resolve $field first using {}
}
}
}
The whole purpose of $fields was just, so I don't have to look
everywhere in the code when they're changed, I just look at the beginning of the class and change the list of attributes and the $fields array content to reflect the new attributes. answered Aug 21, 2013 at
2:31 OxydelOxydel 1661 silver badge5 bronze badges Suppose you have the following array: Array
(
[user_id] => 193
[storage] => 5
)
To delete storage , do: unset($attributes['storage']);
$attributes = array_filter($attributes);
And you get: Array
(
[user_id] => 193
)
Abdur Rehman 3,1325 gold badges32
silver badges47 bronze badges answered Jun 11, 2015 at 22:25 TebeTebe 3,0957 gold badges37 silver badges58 bronze badges 4 Two ways for removing the first item of an array with keeping order of the index and also if you don't know the key name of the first item. Solution #1// 1 is the index of the first object to get
// NULL to get everything until the end
// true to preserve keys
$array = array_slice($array, 1, null, true);
Solution #2// Rewinds the array's internal pointer to the first element
// and returns the value of the first array element.
$value = reset($array);
// Returns the index element of the current array position
$key = key($array);
unset($array[$key]);
For this sample data: $array = array(10 => "a", 20 => "b", 30 => "c");
You must have this result: array(2) {
[20]=>
string(1) "b"
[30]=>
string(1) "c"
}
answered Oct 16, 2018 at 1:20 Nabi K.A.Z.Nabi K.A.Z. 8,7966 gold badges53 silver badges71 bronze badges 3 unset() multiple, fragmented elements from an arrayWhile unset() has been mentioned here several times, it has yet to be mentioned that unset() accepts multiple variables making it easy to delete multiple,
noncontiguous elements from an array in one operation: // Delete multiple, noncontiguous elements from an array
$array = [ 'foo', 'bar', 'baz', 'quz' ];
unset( $array[2], $array[3] );
print_r($array);
// Output: [ 'foo', 'bar' ]
unset() dynamicallyunset() does not accept an array of keys to remove, so the code below will fail (it would have made it slightly easier to use unset() dynamically though). $array = range(0,5);
$remove = [1,2];
$array = unset( $remove ); // FAILS: "unexpected 'unset'"
print_r($array);
Instead, unset() can be used dynamically in a foreach loop: $array = range(0,5);
$remove = [1,2];
foreach ($remove as $k=>$v) {
unset($array[$v]);
}
print_r($array);
// Output: [ 0, 3, 4, 5 ]
Remove array keys by copying the arrayThere is also another practice that has yet to be mentioned. Sometimes, the simplest way to get rid of certain array
keys is to simply copy $array1 into $array2. $array1 = range(1,10);
foreach ($array1 as $v) {
// Remove all even integers from the array
if( $v % 2 ) {
$array2[] = $v;
}
}
print_r($array2);
// Output: [ 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 ];
Obviously, the same practice applies to text strings: $array1 = [ 'foo', '_bar', 'baz' ];
foreach ($array1 as $v) {
// Remove all strings beginning with underscore
if( strpos($v,'_')===false ) {
$array2[] = $v;
}
}
print_r($array2);
// Output: [ 'foo', 'baz' ]
Abdur
Rehman 3,1325 gold badges32 silver badges47 bronze badges answered Dec 7, 2017 at 6:28 <?php
// If you want to remove a particular array element use this method
$my_array = array("key1"=>"value 1", "key2"=>"value 2", "key3"=>"value 3");
print_r($my_array);
if (array_key_exists("key1", $my_array)) {
unset($my_array['key1']);
print_r($my_array);
}
else {
echo "Key does not exist";
}
?>
<?php
//To remove first array element
$my_array = array("key1"=>"value 1", "key2"=>"value 2", "key3"=>"value 3");
print_r($my_array);
$new_array = array_slice($my_array, 1);
print_r($new_array);
?>
<?php
echo "<br/> ";
// To remove first array element to length
// starts from first and remove two element
$my_array = array("key1"=>"value 1", "key2"=>"value 2", "key3"=>"value 3");
print_r($my_array);
$new_array = array_slice($my_array, 1, 2);
print_r($new_array);
?>
Output
Array ( [key1] => value 1 [key2] => value 2 [key3] =>
value 3 ) Array ( [key2] => value 2 [key3] => value 3 )
Array ( [key1] => value 1 [key2] => value 2 [key3] => value 3 )
Array ( [key2] => value 2 [key3] => value 3 )
Array ( [key1] => value 1 [key2] => value 2 [key3] => value 3 )
Array ( [key2] => value 2 [key3] => value 3 )
answered Aug 16, 2016 at 15:36 1 Remove an array element based on a key:Use the unset function like below: $a = array(
'salam',
'10',
1
);
unset($a[1]);
print_r($a);
/*
Output:
Array
(
[0] => salam
[2] => 1
)
*/
Remove an array element based on value:Use the array_search function to get an element key and use the above manner to remove an array element like below: $a = array(
'salam',
'10',
1
);
$key = array_search(10, $a);
if ($key !== false) {
unset($a[$key]);
}
print_r($a);
/*
Output:
Array
(
[0] => salam
[2] => 1
)
*/
answered Sep 22, 2017 at 10:28 MahdiYMahdiY 1,26921 silver badges31 bronze badges 1 EditIf you can't take it as given that the object is in that array you need to add a check: if(in_array($object,$array)) unset($array[array_search($object,$array)]);
Original Answerif you want to remove a specific object of an array by reference of that object you can do following: unset($array[array_search($object,$array)]);
Example: <?php
class Foo
{
public $id;
public $name;
}
$foo1 = new Foo();
$foo1->id = 1;
$foo1->name = 'Name1';
$foo2 = new Foo();
$foo2->id = 2;
$foo2->name = 'Name2';
$foo3 = new Foo();
$foo3->id = 3;
$foo3->name = 'Name3';
$array = array($foo1,$foo2,$foo3);
unset($array[array_search($foo2,$array)]);
echo '<pre>';
var_dump($array);
echo '</pre>';
?>
Result: array(2) {
[0]=>
object(Foo)#1 (2) {
["id"]=>
int(1)
["name"]=>
string(5) "Name1"
}
[2]=>
object(Foo)#3 (2) {
["id"]=>
int(3)
["name"]=>
string(5) "Name3"
}
}
Note that if the object occures several
times it will only be removed the first occurence! answered Jun 11, 2019 at 10:16 Sam TigleSam Tigle 3533 silver badges12 bronze badges 3 Use the following code: $arr = array('orange', 'banana', 'apple', 'raspberry');
$result = array_pop($arr);
print_r($result);
1 I came here
because I wanted to see if there was a more elegant solution to this problem than using unset($arr[$i]). To my disappointment these answers are either wrong or do not cover every edge case. Here is why array_diff() does not work. Keys are unique in the array, while elements are not always unique. $arr = [1,2,2,3];
foreach($arr as $i => $n){
$b = array_diff($arr,[$n]);
echo "\n".json_encode($b);
}
Results... [2,2,3]
[1,3]
[1,2,2]
If two elements are the same they will be remove. This also applies for array_search() and array_flip(). I saw a lot of answers with array_slice() and
array_splice(), but these functions only work with numeric arrays. All the answers I am aware if here does not answer the question, and so here is a solution that will work. $arr = [1,2,3];
foreach($arr as $i => $n){
$b = array_merge(array_slice($arr,0,$i),array_slice($arr,$i+1));
echo "\n".json_encode($b);
}
Results...
[2,3];
[1,3];
[1,2];
Since unset($arr[$i]) will work on both associative array and numeric arrays this still does not answer the question. This solution is to compare the keys and with a tool that will handle both numeric and associative arrays. I use array_diff_uassoc() for this. This function compares the keys in a call back
function. $arr = [1,2,2,3];
//$arr = ['a'=>'z','b'=>'y','c'=>'x','d'=>'w'];
foreach($arr as $key => $n){
$b = array_diff_uassoc($arr, [$key=>$n], function($a,$b) {
if($a != $b){
return 1;
}
});
echo "\n".json_encode($b);
}
Results..... [2,2,3];
[1,2,3];
[1,2,2];
['b'=>'y','c'=>'x','d'=>'w'];
['a'=>'z','c'=>'x','d'=>'w'];
['a'=>'z','b'=>'y','d'=>'w'];
['a'=>'z','b'=>'y','c'=>'x'];
answered Oct 13, 2020 at 14:32 Jed LynchJed Lynch 1,74017 silver badges12 bronze badges 0 Step one firt of all start with php syntex <?php
Step Two create an array named animals <?php
$animals= array(
'cat', // [0]
'dog', // [1]
'cow' // [2]
);
Step three remove item at index 1 which is 'for' unset($animals1[1]);
Step four Print modified array var_dump($danimals1);
Step five Re-index the array elements $newarray = array_values($animals1);
Step six Print re-indexed array var_dump($newarray);
Step seven Close php code ?>
answered Sep 27 at 18:48
How do I remove a specific element from an array in PHP?
In order to remove an element from an array, we can use unset() function which removes the element from an array and then use array_values() function which indexes the array numerically automatically. Function Used: unset(): This function unsets a given variable.
Can you delete an item from an array?
You can remove elements from the end of an array using pop, from the beginning using shift, or from the middle using splice. The JavaScript Array filter method to create a new array with desired items, a more advanced way to remove unwanted elements.
How do I remove a specific element from an array?
pop() function: This method is use to remove elements from the end of an array. shift() function: This method is use to remove elements from the start of an array. splice() function: This method is use to remove elements from the specific index of an array.
Which function is used to remove or delete elements from an array in PHP?
The array_splice() function removes selected elements from an array and replaces it with new elements. The function also returns an array with the removed elements. Tip: If the function does not remove any elements (length=0), the replaced array will be inserted from the position of the start parameter (See Example 2).
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