PHP list() Function

last modified March 13, 2025

The PHP list function assigns array elements to variables in one operation. It's a convenient way to destructure arrays in PHP.

Basic Definition

The list function assigns values from an array to variables in a single statement. It works like array destructuring in other languages.

Syntax: list(var1, var2, ...) = array. The function assigns array elements to variables in order. Extra array elements are ignored.

Basic list() Example

This shows the simplest usage of list to assign array values.

basic_list.php

<?php

$person = ["John", "Doe", 32];

list($firstName, $lastName, $age) = $person;

echo "$firstName $lastName is $age years old.";

The array elements are assigned to variables in order. The first element goes to $firstName, second to $lastName, and third to $age.

Skipping Elements

You can skip array elements by omitting variables or using empty commas.

skip_elements.php

<?php

$data = ["red", "green", "blue", "yellow"];

list($color1, , $color3) = $data;

echo "First color: $color1, Third color: $color3";

The second element is skipped by having two commas in a row. Only the first and third elements are assigned to variables.

Associative Arrays

With PHP 7.1+, list supports associative array destructuring.

associative_array.php

<?php

$user = [
    "name" => "Alice",
    "email" => "alice@example.com",
    "age" => 28
];

["name" => $name, "email" => $email] = $user;

echo "$name <$email>";

This assigns values from an associative array to variables using key names. The syntax is similar to JavaScript object destructuring.

Nested Arrays

list can destructure nested arrays with a similar syntax.

nested_array.php

<?php

$data = [
    [1, 2],
    [3, 4],
    [5, 6]
];

list(list($a, $b), list($c, $d)) = $data;

echo "$a, $b, $c, $d";

This example shows how to destructure a multidimensional array. Each nested list corresponds to a nested array level.

Short List Syntax

PHP 7.1 introduced a shorter square bracket syntax for array destructuring.

short_syntax.php

<?php

$coordinates = [12.34, 56.78];

[$latitude, $longitude] = $coordinates;

echo "Lat: $latitude, Long: $longitude";

The square bracket syntax works exactly like list but is more concise. This is the preferred syntax in modern PHP code.

Best Practices

Modern Syntax: Use square brackets instead of list in PHP 7.1+.
Error Handling: Ensure arrays have enough elements to avoid notices.
Readability: Use destructuring when it improves code clarity.
Type Safety: Add type hints when working with typed properties.

Source

PHP list() Documentation

This tutorial covered the PHP list function with practical examples showing array destructuring in various scenarios.

Author

My name is Jan Bodnar, and I am a passionate programmer with extensive programming experience. I have been writing programming articles since 2007. To date, I have authored over 1,400 articles and 8 e-books. I possess more than ten years of experience in teaching programming.

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