PHP array_rand() Function
Example
Return an array of random keys:
<?php
$a=array("red","green","blue","yellow","brown");
$random_keys=array_rand($a,3);
echo $a[$random_keys[0]]."<br>";
echo $a[$random_keys[1]]."<br>";
echo $a[$random_keys[2]];
?>
Try it Yourself »
Definition and Usage
The array_rand() function returns a random key from an array, or it returns an array of random keys if you specify that the function should return more than one key.
Syntax
array_rand(array, number)
Parameter Values
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| array | Required. Specifies an array |
| number | Optional. Specifies how many random keys to return |
Technical Details
| Return Value: | Returns a random key from an array, or an array of random keys if you specify that the function should return more than one key |
|---|---|
| PHP Version: | 4+ |
| Changelog: | PHP 8.0: array_rand() now throws a ValueError if number is out of range.
PHP 8.0: array_rand() now throws a ValueError if array is empty. PHP 7.1: array_rand() now uses the Mersenne Twister random number generator. |
More Examples
Example
Return a random key from an array:
<?php
$a=array("a"=>"red","b"=>"green","c"=>"blue","d"=>"yellow");
print_r(array_rand($a,1));
?>
Try it Yourself »
Example
Return an array of random string keys:
<?php
$a=array("a"=>"red","b"=>"green","c"=>"blue","d"=>"yellow");
print_r(array_rand($a,2));
?>
Try it Yourself »
❮ PHP Array Reference
