Merging two arrays into a single array is a common task in PHP programming. It involves combining the elements of two arrays into a new array, which contains all the elements from both arrays. This process is particularly useful when working with large sets of data, such as user input, database results, or API responses. In this article, we will explore several methods for merging two arrays in PHP.

Method 1: Using the array_merge() Function

The array_merge() function is a built-in PHP function that can be used to merge two or more arrays into a single array. The function takes two or more arrays as arguments and returns a new array that contains all the elements from the input arrays.

The syntax for using array_merge() function is as follows:

In this example, $array1 and $array2 are the two arrays that we want to merge, and $result is the new array that will contain all the elements from both arrays.

Here is an example of how to use the array_merge() function:

$array1 = array('apple', 'banana', 'orange');
$array2 = array('kiwi', 'mango', 'pineapple');
$result = array_merge($array1, $array2);
print_r($result);

This will output the following:

Array
(
    [0] => apple
    [1] => banana
    [2] => orange
    [3] => kiwi
    [4] => mango
    [5] => pineapple
)

In this example, the array_merge() function has merged the elements of $array1 and $array2 into a single array, $result.

Method 2: Using the + Operator

Another way to merge two arrays in PHP is by using the + operator. This method involves adding the elements of one array to another array using the + operator, which results in a new array that contains all the elements from both arrays.

Here is an example of how to use the + operator to merge two arrays:

$array1 = array('apple', 'banana', 'orange');
$array2 = array('kiwi', 'mango', 'pineapple');
$result = $array1 + $array2;
print_r($result);

This will output the following:

Array
(
    [0] => apple
    [1] => banana
    [2] => orange
    [3] => kiwi
    [4] => mango
    [5] => pineapple
)

In this example, the + operator has merged the elements of $array1 and $array2 into a single array, $result.

Method 3: Using the array_push() Function

The array_push() function is another way to merge two arrays in PHP. This method involves pushing the elements of one array onto another array using the array_push() function, which results in a new array that contains all the elements from both arrays.

Here is an example of how to use the array_push() function to merge two arrays:

$array1 = array('apple', 'banana', 'orange');
$array2 = array('kiwi', 'mango', 'pineapple');
foreach ($array2 as $element) {
    array_push($array1, $element);
}
print_r($array1);

This will output the following:

Array
(
    [0] => apple
    [1] => banana
    [2] => orange
    [3] => kiwi
    [4] => mango
    [5] => pineapple
)