How to Encode a PHP Array with Non-Consecutive Numeric Keys as a JSON Array?

Resolving JSON Object Output from Numeric Array in PHP Using json_encode()

When encoding an array with numeric keys using the json_encode() function in PHP, the result is often an object string with keys rather than an array string. This can be problematic when expecting an Array of Arrays format.

Problem Explanation:

In JavaScript, arrays require consecutive numeric keys. json_encode() will output an object if the keys in the PHP array are not consecutive numbers.

Solution:

To resolve this issue without using regex, we can utilize the array_values() function to discard the original array keys and replace them with zero-based consecutive numbering. This ensures that the encoded result is an array string.

Example:

// Non-consecutive numeric keys in PHP array
$array = array(
    2 => array("Afghanistan", 32, 13),
    4 => array("Albania", 32, 12)
);

// Remove original keys with array_values()
$out = array_values($array);

// Encode the resulting array
$json = json_encode($out);

// Output: [["Afghanistan", 32, 13], ["Albania", 32, 12]]

By using array_values(), we obtain the desired Array of Arrays format in JSON and avoid the object format with non-consecutive numeric keys.

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