PHP function array_rand() that randomly selects one or more elements from an array and returns the key name

Example

Returns an array containing random key names:

<?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]];
?>

Definition and usage

array_rand() function returns a random key name in the array, or if If the specified function returns more than one key name, an array containing random key names will be returned.

Syntax

array_rand(array,number)

Parameters	Description
array	Required. Specifies an array.
number	Optional. Specifies how many random elements to return.

Technical details

As of PHP 5.2.10, the resulting array of keys is no longer

Return value:	Returns a random key name in the array, Or if the specified function returns more than one key name, an array containing random key names is returned.
PHP Version:	4+
##Update Log :	shuffled. Since PHP 4.2.0, the random number generator is automatically seeded.

More examples

Example 1

Return a random key name in the array:

<?php
$a=array("a"=>"red","b"=>"green","c"=>"blue","d"=>"yellow");
print_r(array_rand($a,1));
?>

Example 2

Returns an array containing random

string key names:

<?php
$a=array("a"=>"red","b"=>"green","c"=>"blue","d"=>"yellow");
print_r(array_rand($a,2));
?>

Example:

<?php 
$a=array("a"=>"Dog","b"=>"Cat","c"=>"Horse"); 
print_r(array_rand($a,1)); 
?>

Result:

b

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