array_key_exists()

array_key_exists() — Checks if the given key or index exists in the array.

Built-in function of PHP 8.5. The manual lists it as available in PHP 4 >= 4.0.7, PHP 5, PHP 7, PHP 8. This page is the reference card: signature, parameters and return value, plus the changelog and the example the manual provides.

What it does

array_key_exists() returns true if the given key is set in the array. key can be any value possible for an array index.

Signature

array_key_exists(string|int|float|bool|resource|null $key, array $array): bool

Parameters

ParameterTypeWhat it takes
$keystring|int|float|bool|resource|nullValue to check.
$arrayarrayAn array with keys to check.

Return value

Returns true on success or false on failure. Note: array_key_exists() will search for the keys in the first dimension only. Nested keys in multidimensional arrays will not be found. array_key_exists() will search for the keys in the first dimension only. Nested keys in multidimensional arrays will not be found.

Example

A runnable snippet:

$searchArray = ['first' => 1, 'second' => 4]; var_dump(array_key_exists('first', $searchArray));

Output:

bool(true)

Changelog

VersionChange
8.5.0Using null in the key parameter is deprecated, use an empty string instead.
8.0.0The key parameter now accepts bool, float, int, null, resource, and string as arguments.
8.0.0Passing an object to the array parameter is no longer supported.
7.4.0Passing an object to the array parameter has been deprecated. Use property_exists() instead.

See also

array_keys(), in_array(), property_exists()

All PHP 8.5 built-in functions

Reference card built from the PHP manual page array_key_exists() (PHP documentation, CC BY 3.0). The page is generated from the manual, so the wording of the parameter and return value text follows php.net.