Returning arrays in php causes syntax error

Question

function get_arr() {
    return array("one","two","three");
}

echo get_arr()[0];

Why does the above code throw the following error?

parse error: syntax error, unexpected '['

Answer 1

This is simply a limitation of PHP's syntax. You cannot index a function's return value if the function returns an array. There's nothing wrong with your function; rather this shows the homebrewed nature of PHP. Like a katamari ball it has grown features and syntax over time in a rather haphazard fashion. It was not thought out from the beginning and this syntactical limitation is evidence of that.

Similarly, even this simpler construct does not work:

// Syntax error
echo array("one", "two", "three")[0];

To workaround it you must assign the result to a variable and then index the variable:

$array = get_arr();
echo $array[0];

Oddly enough they got it right with objects. get_obj()->prop is syntactically valid and works as expected. Go figure.

Answer 2

You can't directly reference returned arrays like that. You have to assign it to a temporary variable.

$temp = get_arr();
echo $temp[0];

Answer 3

"because you can't do" that isn't a very satifying answer. But that's the case. You can't do function_which_returns_array()[$offset]; You have to store the return value in a $var and then access it.

Answer 4

I am pretty sure if you do :

$myArray = get_arr();
echo $myArray[0];

That it will works. You cannot use braket directly.

Answer 5

Indeed, you are not the only one to want such a feature enhancement: PHP Bug report #45906

Answer 6

you can also do

 list($firstElement) = get_arr();