array_rand

Pick one or more random entries out of an array

Description

mixed array_rand ( array $array [, int $num = 1 ] )

Picks one or more random entries out of an array, and returns the key (or keys) of the random entries.

Parameters

array

The input array.

num

Specifies how many entries you want to pick. Trying to pick more elements than there are in the array will result in an E_WARNING level error.

Return Values

If you are picking only one entry, array_rand returns the key for a random entry. Otherwise, it returns an array of keys for the random entries. This is done so that you can pick random keys as well as values out of the array.

Changelog

Version Description
5.2.10 The resulting array of keys is no longer shuffled.
4.2.0The random number generator is seeded automatically.

Examples

Example #1 array_rand example

<?php
$input 
= array("Neo""Morpheus""Trinity""Cypher""Tank");
$rand_keys array_rand($input2);
echo 
$input[$rand_keys[0]] . "\n";
echo 
$input[$rand_keys[1]] . "\n";
?>

See Also

  • shuffle