Difference between `split()` and `explode()` functions for String manipulation in PHP

This article explains the difference between `split()` and `explode()` functions in PHP, both used to split strings but with different approaches and use cases.

In PHP, both split() and explode() functions are used to break a string into smaller elements based on a delimiter. However, there are important differences between them in how they process strings and when each should be used.

PHP Code Example

<?php
// Using explode() to split a string by comma
$string = "Apple, Banana, Orange";
$array = explode(", ", $string);
print_r($array);

// Using split() to split a string by regular expression (only in older PHP versions)
$oldString = "Apple Banana Orange";
$oldArray = preg_split("/[\s]+/", $oldString);
print_r($oldArray);
?>

Detailed explanation:

1. explode(", ", $string);: The explode() function splits the string $string into an array using a comma and space as the delimiter.
2. preg_split("/[\s]+/", $oldString);: In older PHP versions, the split() function was replaced by preg_split(). preg_split() uses regular expressions to split the string based on whitespace.

Comparison between explode() and split():

• explode(): Used to split a string by a specific string (e.g., a comma or whitespace). It is straightforward and simple to use.
• split(): This is an outdated function, removed as of PHP 7.0.0, which used regular expressions to split strings. It has been replaced by preg_split().

System requirements:

• PHP 7.0 or later to use preg_split() since split() has been deprecated.

How to install the necessary libraries:

• No additional libraries are required, just ensure you have PHP 7.0 or higher.

Tips:

• Use explode() when you only need to split a string by a simple delimiter like a comma or space.
• Use preg_split() for more complex string splitting based on regular expressions.