PHP Multidimensional Arrays: Nested Arrays and Loops

A multidimensional array is an array whose elements are arrays. You read it with one pair of brackets per level: $grid[1][2] is row 1, column 2, and $users[0]['name'] is the name in the first record.

<?php
$grid = [
    [1, 2, 3],
    [4, 5, 6],
    [7, 8, 9],
];

echo $grid[1][2], "\n";   // row 1, column 2

$users = [
    ['name' => 'Ada',   'role' => 'admin'],
    ['name' => 'Linus', 'role' => 'editor'],
];

echo $users[0]['name'], "\n";
echo $users[1]['role'], "\n";

$grid[2][0] = 70;         // change a nested value
echo implode(' ', $grid[2]), "\n";

The second shape, a list of records with named fields, is the one you will meet most: it is what a database query, a decoded JSON response or a parsed CSV file usually gives you. Each record is an associative array.

Create nested arrays

Nesting can go as deep as you need and the levels can mix numeric and string keys. A config array is a common example: named sections, each holding settings or lists.

<?php
$config = [
    'db' => [
        'host' => 'localhost',
        'port' => 3306,
    ],
    'admins' => ['ada', 'grace'],
    'features' => [
        'search' => ['enabled' => true, 'limit' => 20],
    ],
];

echo $config['db']['host'], "\n";
echo $config['admins'][1], "\n";
echo $config['features']['search']['limit'], "\n";

Add rows and nested values

$rows[] = [...] appends a whole row. $arr['key'][] = $value appends inside a nested list, and PHP creates the inner array the first time, so grouping values needs no setup.

<?php
$orders = [
    ['customer' => 'Ada',   'item' => 'book'],
    ['customer' => 'Linus', 'item' => 'pen'],
    ['customer' => 'Ada',   'item' => 'lamp'],
];

$orders[] = ['customer' => 'Grace', 'item' => 'mug'];   // add a row

$byCustomer = [];
foreach ($orders as $order) {
    $byCustomer[$order['customer']][] = $order['item'];  // inner array created on first use
}

print_r($byCustomer);

Loop through a multidimensional array

Use one foreach per level. For a list of records, one loop is usually enough because you read the fields by name. For a grid, the inner loop walks the cells of each row.

<?php
$students = [
    ['name' => 'Ada',   'scores' => [90, 85, 99]],
    ['name' => 'Linus', 'scores' => [70, 88, 79]],
];

foreach ($students as $student) {
    $average = array_sum($student['scores']) / count($student['scores']);
    echo $student['name'], ": ", round($average, 1), "\n";
}

$grid = [[1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6]];
foreach ($grid as $r => $row) {
    foreach ($row as $c => $cell) {
        echo "[$r][$c]=$cell ";
    }
    echo "\n";
}

Build an HTML table from an array

An array of rows maps directly onto an HTML table: the keys of the first row become the header, and each row becomes a <tr>. Run it and the Page tab shows the rendered table; change a value or add a row and run again.

<?php
$products = [
    ['name' => 'Keyboard', 'price' => 49.99, 'stock' => 12],
    ['name' => 'Mouse',    'price' => 19.50, 'stock' => 0],
    ['name' => 'Monitor',  'price' => 189.00, 'stock' => 4],
];
?>
<style>
  table { border-collapse: collapse; font-family: sans-serif; }
  th, td { border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px 12px; text-align: left; }
  .out { color: #b00; }
</style>
<table>
  <tr>
    <?php foreach (array_keys($products[0]) as $heading): ?>
      <th><?= htmlspecialchars(ucfirst($heading)) ?></th>
    <?php endforeach; ?>
  </tr>
  <?php foreach ($products as $product): ?>
    <tr class="<?= $product['stock'] === 0 ? 'out' : '' ?>">
      <td><?= htmlspecialchars($product['name']) ?></td>
      <td><?= number_format($product['price'], 2) ?></td>
      <td><?= $product['stock'] ?></td>
    </tr>
  <?php endforeach; ?>
</table>

The foreach (...): ... endforeach; form is the same loop written for templates, so the HTML stays readable.

Get one column from all rows

array_column() pulls one field out of every row into a flat list. Pass a third argument to key the result by another field, which turns a list of records into a lookup table.

<?php
$users = [
    ['id' => 3, 'name' => 'Ada',   'email' => 'ada@example.com'],
    ['id' => 7, 'name' => 'Linus', 'email' => 'linus@example.com'],
    ['id' => 9, 'name' => 'Grace', 'email' => 'grace@example.com'],
];

print_r(array_column($users, 'name'));
print_r(array_column($users, 'email', 'id'));   // id => email

$byId = array_column($users, null, 'id');       // id => whole row
echo $byId[7]['name'], "\n";

Sort rows by a field

usort() sorts the rows with a comparison function. The spaceship operator <=> returns -1, 0 or 1, which is exactly what usort() expects. Swap $a and $b to sort in descending order.

<?php
$players = [
    ['name' => 'Ada',   'points' => 120],
    ['name' => 'Linus', 'points' => 95],
    ['name' => 'Grace', 'points' => 140],
];

usort($players, fn($a, $b) => $b['points'] <=> $a['points']);   // highest first

foreach ($players as $rank => $player) {
    echo $rank + 1, ". {$player['name']} ({$player['points']})\n";
}

echo count($players), " rows, ", count($players, COUNT_RECURSIVE), " elements in total\n";

count($players, COUNT_RECURSIVE) counts the 3 rows plus the 6 fields inside them, which is why it prints 9.

Common mistake: reading a deep key that may be missing

Reading $config['cache']['ttl'] when there is no cache key prints Warning: Undefined array key "cache", followed by Warning: Trying to access array offset on null for the next level. The ?? operator checks the whole chain at once and never warns, so it is the safe way to read optional nested values.

<?php
$config = ['db' => ['host' => 'localhost']];

$ttl  = $config['cache']['ttl'] ?? 60;          // missing at the first level
$port = $config['db']['port'] ?? 3306;          // missing at the second level
$host = $config['db']['host'] ?? '127.0.0.1';   // present

echo "$ttl $port $host\n";
var_dump(isset($config['db']['host']));