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Multi-dimensional Arrays

PHP: The Complete 0 to Hero Bootcamp

23. Multi-dimensional Arrays

A multi-dimensional array is an array that contains one or more arrays inside it. This structure is perfect for storing tabular data, hierarchical data, or complex configuration settings.

Creating a 2D Array

Consider an array storing information about employees, where each employee is represented by an associative array.

php

1, 'name' => 'Sarah Connor', 'dept' => 'HR' ], [ 'id' => 2, 'name' => 'Kyle Reese', 'dept' => 'IT' ], [ 'id' => 3, 'name' => 'T-800', 'dept' => 'Security' ] ]; ?>

Accessing Elements

You chain the keys/indices. The first bracket selects the inner array (the row), and the second bracket selects the specific value within that inner array (the column).

php

Sarah's new department: " . $employees[0]['dept']; ?>

Iterating Multi-dimensional Arrays

We typically use nested foreach loops.

php

Employee List:"; foreach ($employees as $employee) { echo "Employee ID: " . $employee['id'] . ", Name: " . $employee['name'] . "
"; } ?>