Using null as the key when setting an array value is NOT the same as using empty [].
<?php
$null = null;
$testArray = [];
$testArray[$null] = 1;
$testArray[$null] = 2;
$testArray[$null] = 3;
$testArray[$null] = 4;
var_dump($testArray);
?>
Output:
array(1) {
'' =>
int(4)
}
<?php
$testArray = [];
$testArray[null] = 1;
$testArray[null] = 2;
$testArray[null] = 3;
$testArray[null] = 4;
var_dump($testArray);
?>
Output:
array(1) {
'' =>
int(4)
}
<?php
$testArray = [];
$testArray[] = 1;
$testArray[] = 2;
$testArray[] = 3;
$testArray[] = 4;
var_dump($testArray);
?>
Output:
array(4) {
[0] =>
int(1)
[1] =>
int(2)
[2] =>
int(3)
[3] =>
int(4)
}