What does this mean in PHP: -> or =>

Question

I see these in PHP all the time but I don't have a clue as to what they actually mean. What does -> do and what does => do. And I'm not talking about the operators. They're something else, but nobody seems to know...

@Harry: Google doesn't work too well with symbols: http://www.google.com/search?q=php+%3D> — Blender, Dec 26 '12 at 07:20
It's not super helpful for a question to be marked as "duplicate" with a link to a question which is closed for being unhelpful. — brentonstrine, Feb 06 '15 at 17:49

score 404 · Answer 1 · edited May 30 '17 at 17:43

404

The double arrow operator, =>, is used as an access mechanism for arrays. This means that what is on the left side of it will have a corresponding value of what is on the right side of it in array context. This can be used to set values of any acceptable type into a corresponding index of an array. The index can be associative (string based) or numeric.

$myArray = array(
    0 => 'Big',
    1 => 'Small',
    2 => 'Up',
    3 => 'Down'
);

The object operator, ->, is used in object scope to access methods and properties of an object. It’s meaning is to say that what is on the right of the operator is a member of the object instantiated into the variable on the left side of the operator. Instantiated is the key term here.

// Create a new instance of MyObject into $obj
$obj = new MyObject();
// Set a property in the $obj object called thisProperty
$obj->thisProperty = 'Fred';
// Call a method of the $obj object named getProperty
$obj->getProperty();

edited May 30 '17 at 17:43

Emile Bergeron

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answered Dec 26 '12 at 07:27

zafus_coder

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So -> is like the . in JAVA. – jessica Oct 06 '15 at 21:57
107

So -> is like the . in Ruby too :) – Abhi Oct 06 '17 at 05:54
163

So -> is like the . in Javascript :) – Cristian Muscalu Nov 02 '17 at 10:50
103

So `->` is like the `.` in ColdFusion :) – James A Mohler Jan 07 '18 at 23:42
101

So `->` is like `.` in Python too :D – fecavy Oct 29 '18 at 18:35
53

So `->` is like `->` in C++ – optimiertes Dec 24 '19 at 04:44
13

Note Bene : -> is completely unlike . in brainfuck. – MountainMan Jan 17 '20 at 09:42
17

So -> is like the . in PowerShell :) – number42 Jan 26 '20 at 14:44
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So -> is like . in Golang too :D – gogofan Feb 12 '20 at 18:17
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So `->` is not like `['brackedNotation]` in PHP and JavaScript ? – sheriffderek Mar 06 '20 at 19:16
23

So `->` is like the `.` in C# :) – jboeke Mar 26 '20 at 17:54
4

Use -> operator to "access" Object Properties , Use => operator to "assign" values to an Object Property. – Odai A. Ali Apr 06 '20 at 08:34
4

:: is also like . in Java but only when accessing method or variable statically. Math.PI in java would be Math::PI in PHP (if there was a Math class with a PI variable) – Brent Sandstrom Apr 06 '20 at 18:28
11

So -> is like . in TS – sarfarazsajjad Apr 25 '20 at 08:05
8

So -> is like . in C++ – Michael Sep 05 '20 at 13:11
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So -> is like . in most languages? – Kevin Moe Myint Myat Oct 14 '20 at 16:56
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So -> is like . in Lua – Fabian Wagner - a6a2f5842 Oct 21 '20 at 22:28
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So -> is like . in TypeScript – Saad Abbasi Nov 25 '20 at 19:05
6

So -> is like . in MQL XD. – Reflection Feb 09 '21 at 21:13
6

So -> is like -> in c++ for pointer of object and . for object itself – mhrsalehi Feb 13 '21 at 18:58
7

So -> is like . in Lua – The epic face 007 Feb 20 '21 at 20:31
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so I up vote all the comment like the . (dot : less typing means do more) – Yohanim Mar 26 '21 at 10:54
8

Why didn't PHP follow the . syntax? – shalomew Nov 24 '21 at 17:02
2

@shalomew if they did, we wouldn't have this glorious thread. – Blenzus Oct 10 '22 at 15:09

score 77 · Answer 2 · edited Jan 09 '21 at 17:50

77

-> is used to call a method, or access a property, on the object of a class

=> is used to assign values to the keys of an array

E.g.:

    $ages = array("Peter"=>32, "Quagmire"=>30, "Joe"=>34, 1=>2);

And since PHP 7.4+ the operator => is used too for the added arrow functions, a more concise syntax for anonymous functions.

edited Jan 09 '21 at 17:50

Shaedo

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answered Dec 26 '12 at 07:25

Sivagopal Manpragada

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score 52 · Answer 3 · answered Dec 26 '12 at 07:21

52

=> is used in associative array key value assignment. Take a look at:

http://php.net/manual/en/language.types.array.php.

-> is used to access an object method or property. Example: $obj->method().

answered Dec 26 '12 at 07:21

DWright

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score 29 · Answer 4 · answered Dec 26 '12 at 07:24

29

->

calls/sets object variables. Ex:

$obj = new StdClass;
$obj->foo = 'bar';
var_dump($obj);

=> Sets key/value pairs for arrays. Ex:

$array = array(
    'foo' => 'bar'
);
var_dump($array);

answered Dec 26 '12 at 07:24

Samuel Cook

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What does this mean in PHP: -> or =>

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