array_replace_recursive()

array_replace_recursive() — Replaces elements from passed arrays into the first array recursively.

Built-in function of PHP 8.5. The manual lists it as available in PHP 5 >= 5.3.0, 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_replace_recursive() replaces the values of array with the same values from all the following arrays. If a key from the first array exists in the second array, its value will be replaced by the value from the second array. If the key exists in the second array, and not the first, it will be created in the first array. If a key only exists in the first array, it will be left as is. If several arrays are passed for replacement, they will be processed in order, the later array overwriting the previous values.

Signature

array_replace_recursive(array $array, array ...$replacements): array

Parameters

Parameter	Type	What it takes
$array	array	The array in which elements are replaced.
...$replacements	array	Arrays from which elements will be extracted.

Return value

Returns an array.

Example

A runnable snippet:

$base = array('citrus' => array("orange"), 'berries' => array("blackberry", "raspberry")); $replacements = array('citrus' => array('pineapple'), 'berries' => array('blueberry')); $basket = array_replace_recursive($base, $replacements); print_r($basket); $basket = array_replace($base, $replacements); print_r($basket);

Output:

Array ( [citrus] => Array ( [0] => pineapple ) [berries] => Array ( [0] => blueberry [1] => raspberry ) ) Array ( [citrus] => Array ( [0] => pineapple ) [berries] => Array ( [0] => blueberry ) )