What are the advantages of using in_array() over preg_match() for checking user input against predefined values in PHP?

When checking user input against predefined values in PHP, using in_array() is generally more efficient and straightforward than using preg_match(). in_array() specifically checks if a value exists in an array, while preg_match() is used for pattern matching with regular expressions. In this scenario, where we are simply checking for the presence of a value in a list, in_array() is the more suitable choice. 

// Example of using in_array() to check user input against predefined values
$allowed_values = array('apple', 'banana', 'orange');
$user_input = 'banana';

if (in_array($user_input, $allowed_values)) {
    echo 'User input is valid.';
} else {
    echo 'Invalid input.';
}

Keywords

in_array preg_match user input predefined values PHP

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