


what is the difference between php array_push and just adding an element
Jul 04, 2025 am 01:49 AMThere are two ways to add elements to an array in PHP: 1. The array_push() function can add multiple elements at once and return a new length, but variables need to be passed and the performance is slightly poor; 2. The empty square brackets [] are added directly, more concise and efficient, suitable for single elements and frequent operations. The order of the two is consistent, and it is recommended to use the [] operator first.
In PHP, there are two common ways to add elements to an array: one is to use the array_push()
function, and the other is to directly add it through empty square brackets []
. Although they both end up achieving the purpose of adding elements, there are some key differences between the two.

1. Add elements using array_push()
array_push()
is a built-in function that is specifically used to append one or more elements to the end of an array. It modifies the original array and returns the length of the new array.

Syntax example:
$array = [1, 2, 3]; array_push($array, 4, 5);
After execution, $array
becomes [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
.

Note:
- The array variable itself (not the value) must be passed in because it is modified by reference.
- You can add multiple elements at once, separated by commas.
- What is returned is the new length of the array, not the array itself.
2. Use []
to directly add elements
This is a more common and recommended way. You can add an element at the end of the array by $array[] = value
.
Syntax example:
$array = [1, 2, 3]; $array[] = 4;
The result is also [1, 2, 3, 4]
.
Advantages:
- More concise and efficient.
- No need to call functions, the performance is slightly better.
- More intuitive, it is the first choice for most PHP developers.
3. Comparison of performance and applicable scenarios
Performance:
Using the[]
operator is usually a little faster thanarray_push()
because it does not require function call overhead.Applicable scenarios:
- If you only need to add one element, it is recommended to use
$array[] = $value
. - If you need to add multiple elements at once, you can use
array_push($array, $val1, $val2)
. - If you add elements frequently in the loop, try to avoid using
array_push()
in the loop body, and use[]
more efficiently.
- If you only need to add one element, it is recommended to use
4. Common misunderstandings
I mistakenly thought
array_push()
returns an array:
It actually returns the new length of the array, which is easily ignored and leads to assignment errors.Try to use
array_push()
in chained calls in expressions:
Because it returns the length of an integer, it cannot continue to operate on the array like other functions.Confusing reference passing issues:
array_push()
is used to modify an array by reference, so it cannot be used for an array literal, for example:array_push([1,2,3], 4); // An error will be reported (PHP 7.3)
Basically these differences. Simply put, if you use
[]
for a single element, multiple elements, or if you want to make the code more semantic, you can considerarray_push()
, but in daily development, the former is enough.The above is the detailed content of what is the difference between php array_push and just adding an element. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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