How Variables Are Passed Through Arguments

Q

How Variables Are Passed Through Arguments? - PHP Script Tips - Creating Your Own Functions

✍: FYIcenter.com

A

Like more of other programming languages, variables are passed through arguments by values, not by references. That means when a variable is passed as an argument, a copy of the value will be passed into the function. Modifying that copy inside the function will not impact the original copy. Here is a PHP script on passing variables by values:

<?php
function swap($a, $b) {
  $t = $a; 
  $a = $b;
  $b = $t;
}
$x = "PHP";
$y = "JSP";
print("Before swapping: $x, $y\n");
swap($x, $y);
print("After swapping: $x, $y\n");
?>

This script will print:

Before swapping: PHP, JSP
After swapping: PHP, JSP

As you can see, original variables were not affected.

2007-04-24, 4665👍, 0💬