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How to Use PHP's rsort Function to Sort Arrays in Descending Order

M66 2025-07-11

Introduction to PHP's rsort Function

PHP is a widely-used server-side programming language, commonly applied in web development. In PHP, sorting is a critical operation. The rsort function is a popular method for sorting arrays in descending order (from largest to smallest). In this article, we will explain how to use the rsort function for array sorting and provide code examples to help you understand its usage better.

Usage of the rsort Function

The rsort function sorts the given array in descending order. It's important to note that rsort performs in-place sorting, meaning it directly modifies the original array instead of returning a new one. The syntax for the rsort function is as follows:

rsort(array &$array, int $sort_flags = SORT_REGULAR): bool

The rsort function takes two parameters: the first is the array to be sorted, and the second is an optional sorting flag. The sorting flag determines the sorting method, with the default being SORT_REGULAR, which performs a standard sort.

Code Example of the rsort Function

Next, let's look at a practical example to see how to use the rsort function to sort an array:

<?php
$numbers = array(5, 9, 1, 3, 7);
// Use rsort to sort the array in descending order
rsort($numbers);
// Output the sorted array
foreach($numbers as $number) {
    echo $number . " ";
}
?>

In this example, we first define an array $numbers with some numbers. Then, we call the rsort function to sort the array in descending order. Finally, we use a foreach loop to print the sorted array.

Running this code will output: 9 7 5 3 1, showing that the array is now sorted in descending order.

Common Sorting Flags

In addition to the default SORT_REGULAR sorting method, the rsort function also supports several other sorting options. Here are some commonly used sorting flags:

  • SORT_NUMERIC: Sort by numerical value
  • SORT_STRING: Sort by string value
  • SORT_LOCALE_STRING: Sort by the current locale's string comparison
  • SORT_NATURAL: Sort in a natural order
  • SORT_FLAG_CASE: Case-insensitive sorting combined with SORT_STRING or SORT_NATURAL

You can choose different sorting flags based on your needs to achieve flexible sorting behavior.

Conclusion

The rsort function is a very useful PHP function that helps developers quickly sort arrays in descending order. By using different sorting flags, you can implement various types of sorting. We hope this article has helped you better understand how to use the rsort function.