array_shift
Removes the first element of an array and returns it.
Syntax
array_shift(array &$array): mixedParameters
| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| $array | array | The array being modified. |
Return value
mixedThe removed element, or `null` for an empty array.
Examples
A queue: first in, first out:
<?php
$queue = ['Anna', 'Oleg', 'Ivan'];
$next = array_shift($queue);
echo $next, ' | ', implode(', ', $queue);Output:
Anna | Oleg, IvanNumeric keys are renumbered:
<?php
$numbers = [10, 20, 30];
array_shift($numbers);
echo json_encode($numbers);Output:
[20,30]Notes
The function is slow on large arrays: every remaining element is shifted.
See also
- array_pop — Removes the last element of an array and returns it.
- array_unshift — Prepends elements to the beginning of an array.
In the tutorial
- Arrays — Lists and associative arrays in PHP — creating, changing, iterating and useful functions.