How to check Data type in PHP – PHP gettype()

Feb 18, 2019Apr 30, 2019

To check data type of any variable, PHP provide a function gettype().

PHP gettype() function returns the data type of the variable value passed as argument and returns a string which is a clear data type of the passed value, like: integer, double, string etc.

I am trying to demonstrate almost all the possible cases with the below examples. If I missed something please mention. I am taking a variable $value which will passed as an argument in gettype() function to check its data type.

Check Integer data type in PHP

Taking $value = ‘Hello’ which is a string type

$value = 'Hello';
echo "'Hello' Is data type - ".gettype($value);

1 2	$value = 'Hello'; echo "'Hello' Is data type - ".gettype($value);

Taking $value = ‘1234’ which is a string type containing numbers

$value = '1234';
echo "'1234' Is data type - ".gettype($value);

1 2	$value = '1234'; echo "'1234' Is data type - ".gettype($value);

Taking $value = 1234 which is an integer type (numeric)

$value = 1234;
echo "1234 Is data type - ".gettype($value);

1 2	$value = 1234; echo "1234 Is data type - ".gettype($value);

Taking $value = 56.02 and 29.00 which are both float(double) type but one has value after decimal however the other has not.

$value = 56.02;
echo "56.02 Is data type - ".gettype($value);

$value = 29.00;
echo "29.00 Is data type - ".gettype($value);

$value = 56.02;

echo "56.02 Is data type - ".gettype($value);

$value = 29.00;

echo "29.00 Is data type - ".gettype($value);

Taking $value = true which is a boolean type (can be tested with $value = false)

$value = true;
echo "true Is data type - ".gettype($value);

1 2	$value = true; echo "true Is data type - ".gettype($value);

Taking $value = null which is a NULL type (can be $value = NULL)

$value = null;
echo "null Is data type - ".gettype($value);

1 2	$value = null; echo "null Is data type - ".gettype($value);

Taking $value = [10, 20, 30] which is an array

$value = [10, 20, 30];
echo "[10, 20, 30] Is data type - ".gettype($value);

1 2	$value = [10, 20, 30]; echo "[10, 20, 30] Is data type - ".gettype($value);

Taking $value = new MyClass() which is an object

Class MyClass{
	
}
$value = new MyClass();
echo "\$value Is data type - ".gettype($value).' , an instance of MyClass class';

Class MyClass{

}

$value = new MyClass();

echo "\$value Is data type - ".gettype($value).' , an instance of MyClass class';

Taking $value as a resource to text file text.txt in the same directory, in the Read mode.

$value = fopen(__DIR__.'/text.txt','r');
echo "\$value Is data type - ".gettype($value).' , an resource of file text.txt';
fclose($value);

$value = fopen(__DIR__.'/text.txt','r');

echo "\$value Is data type - ".gettype($value).' , an resource of file text.txt';

fclose($value);

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How to check Data type in PHP – PHP gettype()

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