PHP Basics Explained: Variables, Arrays, Functions, Strings, and More




  Very Short Answers 

1. What is string?

A string in PHP is a sequence of characters enclosed in single or double quotes. It is used to store and manipulate text data like names, sentences, etc.

2.   Define single quoted string?

Single quoted strings in PHP treat content as plain text. Variables inside them are not parsed. Example: 'Hello $name' will output literally Hello $name.

3.   Discuss double quoted string?

Double quoted strings allow variable parsing and special characters. Example: "Hello $name" will output value of $name. They support escape sequences like

\n, \t.

4.   What is heredoc?

Heredoc syntax allows creating multi-line strings using <<<. It behaves like double quotes and supports variables. Useful for large blocks of text or HTML.

5.   What is Nowdoc?

Nowdoc is similar to Heredoc but behaves like single quotes. It doesn’t parse variables or escape characters.

Declared using <<<'EOT' syntax. Best for raw text.

6.   What is function?

A function is a reusable block of code that performs a task. It is defined using function keyword and can accept parameters and return values.

 

  Short Answers 

1.   Difference between sprintf() and print() functions in PHP? sprintf() returns a formatted string without printing it. You can store or reuse it. print() directly outputs a string to the browser. sprintf() is used for advanced formatting, print() for simple output.

2.   Explain preg_match() and preg_replace() functions? preg_match() searches a string for a pattern and returns true if matched. preg_replace() searches for a pattern and replaces it with another string. Both use Perl-style regular expressions for pattern matching.

3.   What is POSIX regular function?

POSIX regular functions are older pattern matching functions in PHP using POSIX syntax. Examples include ereg(), eregi(), ereg_replace(). They are deprecated in PHP 5.3 and removed in PHP 7.

4.   Advantages of regular expression?

Regular expressions allow powerful pattern matching and validation. They help in form validation, data extraction, and search-replace operations. They reduce complex string logic into simple patterns.

5.   Explain call by value and call by reference? In call by value, a copy of the variable is passed to the function, and changes don't affect the original. In call by reference (&), changes inside function reflect outside too.

 

  Long Answer 

1.   Explain different types of string functions? PHP offers many string functions:

        strlen() – Returns length of string.

        strtoupper() / strtolower() – Converts to upper/lowercase.

        substr() – Extracts part of a string.

        strpos() – Finds position of a substring.

        str_replace() – Replaces a part of string with another.

        trim() – Removes whitespace from start and end.

        explode() – Splits string into array.

        implode() – Joins array into string.

        strrev() – Reverses a string.

        strcmp() – Compares two strings.

These functions help in manipulation, validation, formatting, and processing of strings in PHP applications.

2.   Explain various format specifiers.

Format specifiers are used in functions like printf() and sprintf() for formatting output. Common specifiers:

        %s – String

        %d – Integer

        %f – Floating point

        %x – Hexadecimal

        %b – Binary

        %c – Character Example:

$name = "John";  

printf("Hello %s", $name); // Output: Hello John  

They allow structured and styled output in web applications.

3.   What is regression function? Explain in detail. In PHP, regression functions aren't built-in, but they can be created for statistical analysis. Regression analyzes relationship between variables. For example, in linear regression, we predict y from x using a formula like y = mx + c. You can write PHP code to calculate slope, intercept, and predict values. Libraries like PHP-ML or MathPHP also help in implementing regression.

4.   Discuss various string library functions? Common PHP string library functions:

        addslashes() – Escapes quotes.

        htmlspecialchars() – Converts special HTML characters.

        md5() / sha1() – Hashes a string.

        nl2br() – Inserts <br> before newlines.

        ucfirst() – Capitalizes first letter.

        ucwords() – Capitalizes each word.

        wordwrap() – Wraps a string to given width.

        str_repeat() – Repeats string multiple times.

These functions enhance string formatting, security, and user input processing.

5.   Explain parameterized and recursive functions? Parameterized functions accept input values called parameters to perform operations. Example:

function add($a, $b) {     return $a + $b;  

}

Recursive functions call themselves within the function. They solve problems like factorial, tree traversal. Example: function factorial($n) {   if ($n == 0) return 1;   return $n * factorial($n - 1);

}

Both improve modularity and code reusability in PHP.

 


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