Note: empty array is converted to null by non-strict equal '==' comparison. Use is_null() or '===' if there is possible of getting empty array.
$a = array();
$a == null <== return true
$a === null < == return false
is_null($a) <== return false
O valor especial null
representa uma variável sem valor. null
é o
único valor possível do tipo null.
A variável é considerada null se:
foi atribuída a constante null
.
ainda não recebeu nenhum valor.
foi apagada com unset().
Há apenas um valor do tipo null,
a constante case-insensitive null
.
<?php
$var = NULL;
?>
null
Este recurso está OBSOLETO desde o PHP 7.2.0. Depender desse recurso é altamente desencorajado.
Converter uma variável para null utilizando (unset) $var
não removerá a variável ou apagará seu valor.
Apenas retornará null
como valor.
Note: empty array is converted to null by non-strict equal '==' comparison. Use is_null() or '===' if there is possible of getting empty array.
$a = array();
$a == null <== return true
$a === null < == return false
is_null($a) <== return false
I would like to add for clarification that:
$x=NULL;
--$x;
// $x is still NULL.
// Decrementing NULL, using Decrement Operator, gives NULL.
$x-=1;
// $x is now int(-1).
// This actually decrements value by 1.
On the other hand, Incrementation works simply as expected.
Hope this helps :)
NULL is supposed to indicate the absence of a value, rather than being thought of as a value itself. It's the empty slot, it's the missing information, it's the unanswered question. It's not a jumped-up zero or empty set.
This is why a variable containing a NULL is considered to be unset: it doesn't have a value. Setting a variable to NULL is telling it to forget its value without providing a replacement value to remember instead. The variable remains so that you can give it a proper value to remember later; this is especially important when the variable is an array element or object property.
It's a bit of semantic awkwardness to speak of a "null value", but if a variable can exist without having a value, the language and implementation have to have something to represent that situation. Because someone will ask. If only to see if the slot has been filled.