PHP Tutorial

🔄 PHP Casting

In PHP, **casting** refers to the process of converting a value from one data type to another. This can be done either explicitly (manually) or implicitly (automatically). Understanding casting helps in ensuring that data is properly handled and manipulated within different data types.

📘 Types of PHP Casting

• Implicit Casting (automatic type conversion): Happens automatically when the type conversion is safe and PHP does it behind the scenes.
• Explicit Casting (manual type conversion): You explicitly tell PHP to convert a value from one type to another.

🔄 Implicit Casting

In implicit casting, PHP automatically converts the data type when performing operations. For example, when an integer is added to a float, PHP automatically converts the integer to a float.

<?php
  $intVar = 10;  // Integer
  $floatVar = 10.5;  // Float
  
  $result = $intVar + $floatVar;  // Integer is automatically cast to float
  echo $result;  // 20.5
?>
  

🔄 Explicit Casting

Explicit casting is when you manually convert a value to another data type. You can use the casting operator `(type)` to do so.

• To convert to integer: (int) or (integer)
• To convert to float: (float), (double), or (real)
• To convert to string: (string) or (str)
• To convert to boolean: (bool) or (boolean)

🔍 Example:

<?php
  $strVar = "100.5";  // String
  $intVar = (int)$strVar;  // Explicitly cast string to integer
  echo $intVar;  // 100

  $intVar2 = 10;
  $floatVar2 = (float)$intVar2;  // Explicitly cast integer to float
  echo $floatVar2;  // 10.0
?>
  

📚 Common Casting Operations

• Converting a string to an integer: (int)
• Converting an integer to a float: (float)
• Converting a number to a boolean: (bool)
• Converting a float to a string: (string)

✅ Summary:

• Implicit casting happens automatically by PHP when types are compatible.
• Explicit casting allows you to manually convert one data type to another.
• Useful when working with different types of data in a dynamic way.