What are the benefits of using associative arrays in PHP to store and access data, compared to other data structures?

Associative arrays in PHP allow you to store data in key-value pairs, making it easy to access and manipulate specific elements using their keys. This can be more efficient and convenient compared to other data structures like regular arrays or objects, especially when dealing with large datasets or when you need to quickly look up specific values. 

// Example of using an associative array to store and access data
$user = [
    'name' => 'John Doe',
    'age' => 30,
    'email' => 'john.doe@example.com'
];

echo $user['name']; // Output: John Doe
echo $user['age']; // Output: 30
echo $user['email']; // Output: john.doe@example.com

Keywords

Associative arrays PHP data structures benefits access data

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