PHP array_rand() Function
Example
Return an array of random keys:
<?php
$a=array("red","green","blue","yellow","brown");
$random_keys=array_rand($a,3);
echo $a[$random_keys[0]]."<br>";
echo $a[$random_keys[1]]."<br>";
echo $a[$random_keys[2]];
?>
Run example »
Definition and Usage
The array_rand() function returns a random key from an array, or it returns an array of random keys if you specify that the function should return more than one key.
Syntax
array_rand(array,number)
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| array | Required. Specifies an array |
| number | Optional. Specifies how many random keys to return |
Technical Details
| Return Value: | Returns a random key from an array, or an array of random keys if you specify that the function should return more than one key |
|---|---|
| PHP Version: | 4+ |
| Changelog: | As of PHP 5.2.10, the resulting array of keys is no longer shuffled As of PHP 4.2.0, the random number generator is seeded automatically |
More Examples
Example 1
Return a random key from an array:
<?php
$a=array("a"=>"red","b"=>"green","c"=>"blue","d"=>"yellow");
print_r(array_rand($a,1));
?>
Run example »
Example 2
Return an array of random string keys:
<?php
$a=array("a"=>"red","b"=>"green","c"=>"blue","d"=>"yellow");
print_r(array_rand($a,2));
?>
Run example »
❮ PHP Array Reference
