str_replace is used for simple string replacement and preg_replace is used for regular expression replacement. 1. str_replace is suitable for fixed string replacement, with fast execution speed and supports batch array replacement; 2. preg_replace supports pattern matching, group replacement and modifiers, which is suitable for processing regular dynamic text, but has complex syntax and low efficiency. When selecting, str_replace is used to process the determination value first, and preg_replace is used to process regular content.
In PHP, str_replace
and preg_replace
are functions used to replace strings, but they apply to different scenarios. Simply put: if you just want to do simple string replacement, use str_replace
; if you need more complex pattern matching and replacement (such as replacement with rules), you have to use preg_replace
.

The following is a detailed explanation of the differences and usage suggestions from several angles.
str_replace
: a simple and direct replacement tool
This function is suitable for situations where you know clearly what to replace and what to replace. It does not involve regular expressions, performs better, and the code is easier to understand.

For example:
echo str_replace('hello', 'hi', 'hello world'); // Output: hi world
Its advantages are:

- Simple and easy to understand
- Fast execution speed
- Support array replacement multiple content
For example, you can replace multiple words at once:
$replacements = ['apple', 'orange']; $text = str_replace(['fruit1', 'fruit2'], $replacements, 'I like fruit1 and fruit2'); // Output: I like apple and orange
It should be noted that it does not handle complex logic, such as "replace all numbers" or "replace parts that start with a certain character", and it will be unsolvable.
preg_replace
: Flexible and powerful regular replacement
When you are not facing a fixed string, but a regular text structure, you need to use regular expressions, and you have to use preg_replace
.
For example, if you want to add link tags to all the email addresses in a paragraph of text:
$email = 'Contact us at admin@example.com'; $result = preg_replace('/(\b[\w.-] @[\w.-] \.\w \b)/', '<a href="mailto:$1">$1</a>', $email); // Output: Contact us at <a href="mailto:admin@example.com">admin@example.com</a>
It supports:
- Pattern matching (such as matching all numbers, strings in specific formats)
- Group replacement (grouping by
$1
,$2
reference) - Various modifiers to control matching methods (such as ignoring upper and lower case)
However, it is precisely because of the support of regularity that its syntax is relatively complex and its execution efficiency is a little lower than str_replace
. So if it is not necessary, don't use it easily.
How to choose? Depend on your needs
Then when to use which one?
-
Prioritize
str_replace
:- Replace fixed string
- No need to determine the format, position and other conditions
- There are many replacements but all are certain values
-
When
preg_replace
is required :- The content to be replaced is regular but not sure about the specific value (such as date, IP, URL)
- Need to perform group extraction before replacing
- There are changes in the text format, but the structure is consistent
To give a practical example: if you want to clean up extra spaces in user input, you can use str_replace(' ', ' ', $text)
, but if there are many consecutive spaces, newlines, and tabs mixed together, it is more appropriate to use regular /[\s] /
.
Basically that's it. Both functions have their own expertise, and you don’t have to remember who is good or bad. The key is whether the string you want to process has "rules".
The above is the detailed content of PHP str_replace vs preg_replace. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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