The iterable pseudo-type in PHP allows a function to accept either an array or any object that can be looped over with foreach, such as those implementing Traversable or Generator. 1. It covers both arrays and traversable objects, enabling flexibility in input types. 2. It is useful when working with generators, reusable components, or when accepting data without needing array-specific features. 3. It should be used when the logic only needs to iterate over values, not access them via indexes or modify them. 4. Using iterable simplifies code by eliminating the need for separate handling of arrays and iterators. 5. Unlike Traversable, iterable includes arrays, making it more inclusive and readable. By using iterable, developers can write more adaptable and maintainable functions that work seamlessly across different data sources.
In PHP, the iterable
pseudo-type isn't just a type hint — it's a flexible way to accept either an array or any object that can be looped over using foreach
. This includes objects implementing Traversable
, like those from Iterator
or Generator
. It makes writing functions more convenient when you don’t care specifically whether the data comes from an array or a custom iterator.
What does iterable
actually cover?
When you type-hint a function parameter as iterable
, you're saying:
- "I expect something I can loop through with
foreach
."
That means both of these will work:
- Arrays – because they’re naturally traversable.
-
Objects implementing
Traversable
– which includes most built-in iterators and generators.
So if your function needs to process a sequence of values but doesn’t need to modify them or access them by index, using iterable
gives you more flexibility than restricting yourself to just arrays.
When should you use iterable
?
Here are some real-world cases where iterable
shines:
Accepting both arrays and iterators in one function: You might have a utility function that processes a list of items. Whether that list is an array or comes from a database cursor (like an iterator), your logic can stay the same.
Working with generators: If your function receives data from a generator, you can't use an array type hint because generators return a
Generator
object, which is traversable but not an array.Writing reusable code: If you're building libraries or components where input types may vary,
iterable
helps keep things loosely coupled.
This is especially useful in frameworks or large applications where data sources may change over time, but the processing logic remains consistent.
How do you use iterable
in practice?
Using iterable
is straightforward. Here’s a basic example:
function processItems(iterable $items): void { foreach ($items as $item) { echo $item . PHP_EOL; } }
Now you can pass either an array or a traversable object:
processItems([1, 2, 3]); // Works fine $generator = function() { yield 1; yield 2; yield 3; }; processItems($generator()); // Also works!
If you had used array
instead of iterable
, the second call would have thrown an error. So iterable
gives you broader compatibility without having to write separate handling logic.
Just keep in mind:
- You can't use array access (
$items[0]
) on aniterable
unless you know it's an array. - You can't assume anything about internal structure — only that it can be looped.
Why not just use Traversable
?
You might wonder why we don’t just type-hint with \Traversable
. The reason is that arrays aren’t instances of Traversable
, even though they can be iterated. So using iterable
covers both arrays and Traversable
objects under one simple keyword.
Also, PHP internally treats iterable
as a union of array|\Traversable
, so it's more inclusive and easier to read than manually combining types.
That’s basically it — iterable
is a helpful shortcut that makes your code more flexible without forcing you into strict data format requirements.
The above is the detailed content of What is the purpose of the iterable pseudo-type in PHP?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

Hot AI Tools

Undress AI Tool
Undress images for free

Undresser.AI Undress
AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos

AI Clothes Remover
Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.

Clothoff.io
AI clothes remover

Video Face Swap
Swap faces in any video effortlessly with our completely free AI face swap tool!

Hot Article

Hot Tools

Notepad++7.3.1
Easy-to-use and free code editor

SublimeText3 Chinese version
Chinese version, very easy to use

Zend Studio 13.0.1
Powerful PHP integrated development environment

Dreamweaver CS6
Visual web development tools

SublimeText3 Mac version
God-level code editing software (SublimeText3)

Hot Topics

To merge two PHP arrays and keep unique values, there are two main methods. 1. For index arrays or only deduplication, use array_merge and array_unique combinations: first merge array_merge($array1,$array2) and then use array_unique() to deduplicate them to finally get a new array containing all unique values; 2. For associative arrays and want to retain key-value pairs in the first array, use the operator: $result=$array1 $array2, which will ensure that the keys in the first array will not be overwritten by the second array. These two methods are applicable to different scenarios, depending on whether the key name is retained or only the focus is on

exit() is a function in PHP that is used to terminate script execution immediately. Common uses include: 1. Terminate the script in advance when an exception is detected, such as the file does not exist or verification fails; 2. Output intermediate results during debugging and stop execution; 3. Call exit() after redirecting in conjunction with header() to prevent subsequent code execution; In addition, exit() can accept string parameters as output content or integers as status code, and its alias is die().

The rational use of semantic tags in HTML can improve page structure clarity, accessibility and SEO effects. 1. Used for independent content blocks, such as blog posts or comments, it must be self-contained; 2. Used for classification related content, usually including titles, and is suitable for different modules of the page; 3. Used for auxiliary information related to the main content but not core, such as sidebar recommendations or author profiles. In actual development, labels should be combined and other, avoid excessive nesting, keep the structure simple, and verify the rationality of the structure through developer tools.

When you encounter the prompt "This operation requires escalation of permissions", it means that you need administrator permissions to continue. Solutions include: 1. Right-click the "Run as Administrator" program or set the shortcut to always run as an administrator; 2. Check whether the current account is an administrator account, if not, switch or request administrator assistance; 3. Use administrator permissions to open a command prompt or PowerShell to execute relevant commands; 4. Bypass the restrictions by obtaining file ownership or modifying the registry when necessary, but such operations need to be cautious and fully understand the risks. Confirm permission identity and try the above methods usually solve the problem.

There are two ways to create an array in PHP: use the array() function or use brackets []. 1. Using the array() function is a traditional way, with good compatibility. Define index arrays such as $fruits=array("apple","banana","orange"), and associative arrays such as $user=array("name"=>"John","age"=>25); 2. Using [] is a simpler way to support since PHP5.4, such as $color

The way to process raw POST data in PHP is to use $rawData=file_get_contents('php://input'), which is suitable for receiving JSON, XML, or other custom format data. 1.php://input is a read-only stream, which is only valid in POST requests; 2. Common problems include server configuration or middleware reading input streams, which makes it impossible to obtain data; 3. Application scenarios include receiving front-end fetch requests, third-party service callbacks, and building RESTfulAPIs; 4. The difference from $_POST is that $_POST automatically parses standard form data, while the original data is suitable for non-standard formats and allows manual parsing; 5. Ordinary HTM

To safely handle PHP file uploads, you need to verify the source and type, control the file name and path, set server restrictions, and process media files twice. 1. Verify the upload source to prevent CSRF through token and detect the real MIME type through finfo_file using whitelist control; 2. Rename the file to a random string and determine the extension to store it in a non-Web directory according to the detection type; 3. PHP configuration limits the upload size and temporary directory Nginx/Apache prohibits access to the upload directory; 4. The GD library resaves the pictures to clear potential malicious data.

InPHP,variablesarepassedbyvaluebydefault,meaningfunctionsorassignmentsreceiveacopyofthedata,whilepassingbyreferenceallowsmodificationstoaffecttheoriginalvariable.1.Whenpassingbyvalue,changestothecopydonotimpacttheoriginal,asshownwhenassigning$b=$aorp
