What is the difference between => and -> in php?

Question

What is the difference between => and -> in php? and when i should use those ? i know that -> can be use in object like $obj->foo and => is in array is there any other place we can use them ?

[reference-what-does-this-symbol-mean-in-php](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3737139/reference-what-does-this-symbol-mean-in-php) — Your Common Sense, Apr 28 '13 at 11:48

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 28 '13 at 11:57

As chandresh said but with examples:

=> is for associative arrays. You would do such:

$arr = array("key" => "value"); // now value can be access simply by typing $arr['key'];

-> is for accessing object properties(variables) and methods(functions)

// instead of doing this:
calculate();

// if you have created an object, you could access the method(function) like so:

$object->calculate();  // to call method(function) inside a class\object

thank-you ... for you help i really do appreciate – Rahul pareek Apr 28 '13 at 12:31 — Rahul pareek, Apr 28 '13 at 12:31

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:18

0

One is a scope resolution operator and the other is an array control method to define Keys/values

What's the difference between :: (double colon) and -> (arrow) in PHP? For the -> syntax and:

What does "=>" mean in PHP? for the => syntax

edited May 23 '17 at 12:18

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answered Apr 28 '13 at 11:54

Daryl Gill

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score 0 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:04

Below link will provide you a full list of symbols and their usage.

Reference - What does this symbol mean in PHP?

Since you have asked, In short

=> is called T_DOUBLE_ARROW and is the separator for associative arrays, the '=>' created key/value pairs.

-> is called "object operator" or T_OBJECT_OPERATOR and it's used when you want to call a method on an instance or access an instance property.

What is the difference between => and -> in php?

3 Answers3

Reference - What does this symbol mean in PHP?