PHP gettype() Function

The PHP gettype() function returns the type of a variable as a string. It identifies the variable’s data type, such as string, integer, array, boolean, etc., allowing developers to check and handle different data types dynamically.

Syntax:

string gettype ( $var )

Parameter: This function accepts a single parameter $var. It is the name of the variable which is needed to be checked for the type of variable.

Return Value:

This function returns a string-type value. Possible values for the returned string are:

• boolean
• integer
• double (for historical reasons “double” is returned in case of float)
• string
• array
• object
• resource
• NULL
• unknown type

Below programs illustrate the gettype() function in PHP:

Example 1: In this example we demonstrates the gettype() function, which identifies and prints the data types of various variables, including boolean, integer, double, string, array, object, null, and resource types.

<?php
    
    // PHP program to illustrate gettype() function

    $var1 = true;
    
    // boolean value
    $var2 = 3;
    
    // integer value
    $var3 = 5.6;
    
    // double value
    $var4 = "Abc3462";
    
    // string value
    $var5 = array(1, 2, 3);
    
    // array value
    $var6 = new stdClass;
    
    // object value
    $var7 = NULL;
    
    // null value
    $var8 = tmpfile();
    
    // resource value

    echo gettype($var1)."\n";
    echo gettype($var2)."\n";
    echo gettype($var3)."\n";
    echo gettype($var4)."\n";
    echo gettype($var5)."\n";
    echo gettype($var6)."\n";
    echo gettype($var7)."\n";
    echo gettype($var8)."\n";

?>

boolean
integer
double
string
array
object
NULL
resource

Example 2: In this example we use the gettype() function to identify and print the data types of variables, including a string, integer (modulus operation), integer (power), double (square root), and double.

<?php
    
    // PHP program to illustrate gettype() function

    $var1 = "GfG";
    $var2 = 10 % 7;
    $var3 = pow(10, 2);
    $var4 = pow(10, 0.5);
    $var5 = sqrt(9);
    echo gettype($var1)."\n";
    echo gettype($var2)."\n";
    echo gettype($var3)."\n";
    echo gettype($var4)."\n";
    echo gettype($var5);

?>

string
integer
integer
double
double