Laravel Array Helper Functions: Usage and Examples

This guide demonstrates the use of Laravel's array helper functions through clear PHP code snippets and explanations.

<?php $array = array_add([ 'name' => 'Desk' ], 'price', 100); // Result: ['name' => 'Desk', 'price' => 100]

The array_collapse function merges multiple arrays into a single flat array:

$array = array_collapse([[1,2,3],[4,5,6],[7,8,9]]); // Result: [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]

array_divide splits an associative array into two arrays, one containing keys and the other values:

list($keys, $values) = array_divide(['name' => 'Desk']); // $keys: ['name'], $values: ['Desk']

array_dot flattens a multi‑dimensional array using dot notation for nested keys:

$array = [ 'products' => [ 'desk' => [ 'price' => 100 ] ] ]; $flattened = array_dot($array); // Result: ['products.desk.price' => 100]

array_except removes specified key/value pairs from an array:

$array = ['name' => 'Desk', 'price' => 100]; $array = array_except($array, ['price']); // Result: ['name' => 'Desk']

array_first returns the first element that passes a given truth test, optionally providing a default value:

$array = [100,200,300]; $value = array_first($array, function($v){ return $v >= 150; }); // Result: 200

When no element satisfies the test, a default can be supplied:

$value = array_first($array, $callback, $default);

array_last works similarly but returns the last element that passes the test:

$value = array_last([100,200,300,110], function($v){ return $v >= 150; }); // Result: 300

array_flatten converts a multi‑dimensional array into a one‑dimensional array:

$array = ['name' => 'Joe', 'languages' => ['PHP','Ruby']]; $flat = array_flatten($array); // Result: ['Joe','PHP','Ruby']

array_forget removes a nested key using dot notation:

$array = ['products' => ['desk' => ['price' => 100]]]; array_forget($array, 'products.desk'); // Result: ['products' => []]

array_get retrieves a value from a nested array, with an optional default:

$value = array_get($array, 'products.desk.price'); // Result: 100 $value = array_get($array, 'products.desk.discount', 0); // Result: 0

array_has checks the existence of a key (or keys) in an array using dot notation:

$exists = array_has($array, 'product.name'); // true $existsAll = array_has($array, ['product.price','product.discount']); // false

array_only returns only the specified key/value pairs from an array:

$filtered = array_only($array, ['name','price']); // Result: ['name' => 'Desk', 'price' => 100]

array_pluck extracts a list of values for a given key from an array of arrays, optionally using another key as the result's keys:

$names = array_pluck($array, 'developer.name'); // Result: ['Taylor','Abigail'] $named = array_pluck($array, 'developer.name', 'developer.id'); // Result: [1 => 'Taylor', 2 => 'Abigail']

array_prepend adds an element to the beginning of an array, optionally specifying its key:

$array = ['one','two','three']; $array = array_prepend($array, 'zero'); // Result: ['zero','one','two','three'] $array = array_prepend(['price'=>100], 'Desk', 'name'); // Result: ['name'=>'Desk','price'=>100]

array_pull retrieves and removes a key/value pair from an array, with an optional default:

$name = array_pull($array, 'name'); // $name = 'Desk', $array now ['price'=>100] $value = array_pull($array, $key, $default);

array_random returns one or more random values from an array:

$random = array_random([1,2,3,4,5]); // e.g., 4 $items = array_random([1,2,3,4,5], 2); // e.g., [2,5]

array_set sets a value in a nested array using dot notation:

array_set($array, 'products.desk.price', 200); // Result: ['products'=>['desk'=>['price'=>200]]]

array_sort sorts an array by its values, optionally using a custom closure:

$sorted = array_sort(['Desk','Table','Chair']); // Result: ['Chair','Desk','Table'] $sorted = array_values(array_sort($array, function($v){ return $v['name']; }));

Each code block is presented within code tags to preserve formatting, and the surrounding paragraphs explain the purpose and output of the functions, providing a practical reference for developers working with Laravel's array utilities.