How does PHP determine whether to take a value or a string in associative arrays?

PHP determines whether to take a value or a string in associative arrays based on the context in which the key is used. If the key is used as a string (e.g., in double quotes or concatenated with other strings), PHP will treat it as a string. If the key is used as a constant or a variable, PHP will treat it as a value. To ensure that PHP always treats the key as a string in associative arrays, enclose the key in quotes when accessing or setting values in the array. 

$assocArray = [
    "key1" => "value1",
    "key2" => "value2"
];

// Accessing values using string keys
echo $assocArray["key1"]; // Output: value1

// Setting values using string keys
$assocArray["key3"] = "value3";

Keywords

PHP associative arrays value string determination

Related Questions