What best practices should be followed when working with PHP functions that return multiple values?

When working with PHP functions that return multiple values, it is best practice to use an associative array to store and return these values. This allows for easy access to each value by using keys instead of relying on the order of the returned values. By using an associative array, you can clearly define and document the structure of the returned data, making it easier for other developers to understand and use the function. 

function getMultipleValues() {
    $data = array(
        'value1' => 'First value',
        'value2' => 'Second value',
        'value3' => 'Third value'
    );

    return $data;
}

// Usage example
$result = getMultipleValues();
echo $result['value1']; // Output: First value
echo $result['value2']; // Output: Second value
echo $result['value3']; // Output: Third value

Keywords

PHP functions multiple values return values best practices error handling

Related Questions