How to Split Strings into Arrays and Split by Line Breaks in PHP

preg_split(pattern, string, limit = -1, flags = 0);

Output

Array
(
    [0] => Pradeep Menon
    [1] => Arjit
    [2] => Kavitha Deshmukh
    [3] => John Peter
    [4] => Peterson
)

Code Explanation

In this code, we use the preg_split() function to split the string into an array, using a line break as the delimiter.

The input string $str contains a list of names separated by line breaks. The preg_split() function is then used with the regular expression pattern /

/ to split the string every time a line break appears.

After executing the preg_split() function, the resulting array $arr contains each name as an element. Finally, the print_r() function is used to display the contents of the array.

In conclusion, this code snippet takes a string with names separated by line breaks, applies preg_split() to split it into an array, using line breaks as delimiters, and then prints the resulting array of names.

Method 2: Using explode() Function

The explode() function in PHP is used to split a string into an array of substrings based on a specified delimiter. It is a simpler alternative to the preg_split() function and is particularly useful when using simple delimiters such as a single character or a fixed string. The explode() function is commonly used to parse CSV files, extract individual words from sentences, or break down a string based on a specific delimiter. It provides a simple and effective way to split a string into smaller components.

Syntax

The syntax of the explode() function is as follows:

• delimiter: Specifies the delimiter string used to split the input string.

• string: Specifies the input string to be split.

• limit (optional): Specifies the maximum number of elements to return in the resulting array. If set, the array will contain at most the specified number of elements.

Example

<?php
// PHP program to separate a string
// using the explode function

// String to be converted
$str = "Pradeep Menon
Ajith Lakshman
John Peter
Peterson";

// Function to convert the string to array
$arr = explode("\n", $str);

// Print the information of array
print_r($arr);
?>

Output

Array
(
    [0] => Pradeep Menon
    [1] => Ajith Lakshman
    [2] => John Peter
    [3] => Peterson
)

Code Explanation

The PHP code snippet above demonstrates how to use the explode() function to split a string into an array, using a line break (\n) as the delimiter.

The input string $str contains a list of names separated by line breaks. The explode() function is then used with the line break (\n) as the delimiter to split the string into an array of substrings. After executing the explode() function, the resulting array $arr contains each name as an element. Finally, the print_r() function is used to display the contents of the array.

Conclusion

In summary, both preg_split() and explode() are PHP functions used to split a string into an array based on a specified delimiter. preg_split() offers the advantage of using regular expressions as delimiters, providing greater flexibility and advanced pattern matching capabilities. It is ideal for more complex splitting tasks where delimiters can vary or follow specific patterns. On the other hand, explode() is simpler and faster, making it a better choice for tasks involving fixed delimiters such as characters or strings. It is more efficient when dealing with simple and predictable delimiters.