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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [RFC] [Discussion] array_get and array_has functions
Date: Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:13:44 +0000
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From: hanskrentel@yahoo.de (Hans Krentel)


On Saturday 04 April 2026 16:06:21 (+02:00), Barel wrote:

> Hi,
>=20
> I would like to open the discussion on my proposal to add two small,
> focused array functions for retrieving and checking nested array =
elements
> using dot notation.
>=20
> This is the link to the RFC:
> https://wiki.php.net/rfc/array_get_and_array_has
>=20
> This is the link to the proposed implementation:
> https://github.com/php/php-src/pull/21637
>=20
> Thanks!!

Thank you very much! That=E2=80=99s very interesting, so I have to ask =
right away: Is there a specific reason to limit this to strings, integers, =
and null for arrays, rather than also allowing arrays or iterables?

This reminds me of JSON Pointers (RFC 6901), which can usually be easily =
mapped as an iterable with string keys, which can then be accessed via the =
holder variable, similar to the foreach example you already describe in =
your RFC.

If these two functions supported passing an array/iterable with the =
traversal keys as a second parameter, this would be advantageous, since the=
 JSON pointer would then not need to be recoded into dot notation, but only=
 (if not already done) sliced and passed as an array as the second =
parameter.

That's why I'm asking.

Interestingly, JSON Pointer solves the =E2=80=9Cnull problem=E2=80=9D by =
prefixing the zero or more reference tokens (keys) with a slash =
=E2=80=98/=E2=80=99, and it supports all seven types of JSON values without=
 limiting itself to just JSON arrays or objects. This is just food for =
thought: array_... are clearly array functions, so this =
=E2=80=9Crestriction=E2=80=9D is likely intentional. In PHP, however, I can=
 also imagine iterables that resemble what you=E2=80=99ve already described=
 in your RFC, and from there it=E2=80=99s not far to the holder object we =
see in JSON and JSON Pointer. So please don=E2=80=99t confuse my =
=E2=80=9Crequest=E2=80=9D regarding arrays/iterables with the first =
parameter; it=E2=80=99s simply about passing the key as a keys, which is a =
small improvement over dot notation.

With arrays in PHP, users will likely prefer the non-standard, more custom =
dot notation, and that=E2=80=99s perfectly fine. I saw many people asking =
for this in the early days of Stack Overflow, and if Symfony/Laravel have =
it as well, that=E2=80=99s just another strong indication of such a =
preference.

Thanks again for your RFC


--hakre

P.S. Work on the RFC documentation for JSON Path finally began in 2020, and=
 it was published in February 2024. The standard has its roots in PHP and =
JavaScript, and perhaps it=E2=80=99s time for PHP to expand its standard =
library with such features at the same pace we did with JSON. Your RFC =
seems well-suited for this purpose. Thanks again.