{"id":202709,"date":"2025-06-25T17:05:19","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T17:05:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.softwaretestinghelp.com\/?page_id=202709"},"modified":"2025-07-04T12:47:57","modified_gmt":"2025-07-04T12:47:57","slug":"php-operators","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.softwaretestinghelp.com\/php\/php-operators\/","title":{"rendered":"PHP Operators: Classification With Examples"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

PHP Operators are the special symbols or strings for operations on PHP variables & values. Discover the different categories of PHP Operators with simple programming code examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this tutorial, you will learn about PHP operators (like PHP assignment operators, PHP comparison operators, PHP ternary operators, and many more), the precedence of operators, and frequently asked questions (FAQs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please note that we have used PHP version 7 in all examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s begin!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

=> Complete PHP Guide for ALL<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding PHP Operators<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"PHP<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What is an Operator<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In simple words, an operator is a symbol that is used to operate on operands. When you consider the example, 5 + 10<\/strong>, 5<\/strong> & 10<\/strong> are the operands, and +<\/strong> is the operator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Classification of PHP Operators<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are 11 categories of operators in PHP. They are:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Arithmetic<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Assignment<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Comparison<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Incrementing and decrementing<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Bitwise<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Logical<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. String<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Array<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. Type<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  10. Execution<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  11. Error Control<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Apart from the above classification, we can also classify operators based on operands as shown in the list below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • PHP Unary Operators – It works on a single operand. Example<\/strong>: ++, —<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • PHP Binary Operators – It works on two operands. Example<\/strong>: +, –<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • PHP Ternary Operators – It works on three operands. Example<\/strong>: ?:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      #1) Arithmetic Operator<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      An arithmetic operator is used to perform common arithmetic operations like addition, multiplication, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The table below shows more details:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
      <\/td>Symbol<\/th>Name<\/th>Syntax<\/th>Description<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
      1<\/td>+<\/td>Addition<\/td>$c + $d<\/td>Sum of $c and $d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      2<\/td>–<\/td>Subtraction<\/td>$c – $d<\/td>Difference of $c and $d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      3<\/td>*<\/td>Multiplication<\/td>$c * $d<\/td>Product of $c and $d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      4<\/td>\/<\/td>Division<\/td>$c \/ $d<\/td>Quotient of $c and $d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      5<\/td>%<\/td>Modulo<\/td>$c % $d<\/td>Remainder of $c divided by $d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      6<\/td>**<\/td>Exponentiation<\/td>$c ** $d<\/td>Result of raising $c to the $d’th power<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      7<\/td>+<\/td>Identity<\/td>+$c<\/td>Conversion of $c to int or float as appropriate<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      8<\/td>–<\/td>Negation<\/td>-$c<\/td>Opposite of $c<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

      Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The below programming code shows an example. You can try this example by running the following code:<\/p>\n\n\n

      \n<?php\n$c = 2;  \n$d = 4;\n\necho $c + $d."<br>"; \/\/outputs: 6\necho $c - $d."<br>"; \/\/outputs: -2\necho $c * $d."<br>";  \/\/outputs: 8\necho $c \/ $d."<br>";  \/\/outputs: 0.5\necho $c % $d."<br>";  \/\/outputs: 2\necho $c ** $d."<br>";  \/\/outputs: 16\necho +$c."<br>"; \/\/outputs: 2\necho -$c;  \/\/outputs: -2 \n?>\n<\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      #2) Assignment Operator<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
      Assignment operators are used to assign values to variables. The most fundamental assignment operator is \u201c=<\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      The table below shows more details:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
      <\/td>Symbol<\/th>Sub-category<\/th>Syntax<\/th>Same As<\/th>Description<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
      1<\/td>=<\/td>–<\/td>$c = $d<\/td>$c = $d (the value of the right operand is assigned to the left operand)<\/td>Assign<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      2<\/td>+=<\/td>Arithmetic Assignment<\/td>$c += $d<\/td>$c = $c + $d<\/td>Addition<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      3<\/td>-=<\/td>Arithmetic Assignment<\/td>$c -= $d<\/td>$c = $c – $d<\/td>Subtraction<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      4<\/td>*=<\/td>Arithmetic Assignment<\/td>$c *= $d<\/td>$c = $c * $d<\/td>Multiplication<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      5<\/td>\/=<\/td>Arithmetic Assignment<\/td>$c \/= $d<\/td>$c = $c \/ $d<\/td>Division<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      6<\/td>%=<\/td>Arithmetic Assignment<\/td>$c %= $d<\/td>$c = $c % $d<\/td>Modulus<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      7<\/td>**=<\/td>Arithmetic Assignment<\/td>$c **= $d<\/td>$c = $c ** $d<\/td>Exponentiation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      8<\/td>&=<\/td>Bitwise Assignment<\/td>$c &= $d<\/td>$c = $c & $d<\/td>Bitwise And<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      9<\/td>|=<\/td>Bitwise Assignment<\/td>$c |= $d<\/td>$c = $c | $d<\/td>Bitwise Or<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      10<\/td>^=<\/td>Bitwise Assignment<\/td>$c ^= $d<\/td>$c = $c ^ $d<\/td>Bitwise Xor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      11<\/td><<=<\/td>Bitwise Assignment<\/td>$c <<= $d<\/td>$c = $c << $d<\/td>Left Shift<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      12<\/td>>>=<\/td>Bitwise Assignment<\/td>$c >>= $d<\/td>$c = $c >> $d<\/td>Right Shift<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      13<\/td>.=<\/td>–<\/td>$c .= $d<\/td>$c = $c . $d<\/td>String Concatenation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      14<\/td>??=<\/td>–<\/td>$c ??= $d<\/td>$c = $c ?? $d<\/td>Null Coalesce<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
      Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
      The below programming code shows an example. You can try this example by running the following code. Output values are shown in the comments.<\/p>\n\n\n
      \n<?php\n$c = 2;  \n$d = 4;\necho ($c = $d)."<br>"; \/\/outputs: 4\n\n$c = 2;  \n$d = 4;\necho ($c += $d)."<br>"; \/\/outputs: 6\n\n$c = 2;  \n$d = 4;\necho ($c -= $d)."<br>"; \/\/outputs: -2\n\n$c = 2;  \n$d = 4;\necho ($c *= $d)."<br>"; \/\/outputs: 8\n\n$c = 2;  \n$d = 4;\necho ($c \/= $d)."<br>"; \/\/outputs: 0.5\n\n$c = 2;  \n$d = 4;\necho ($c %= $d)."<br>"; \/\/outputs: 2\n\n$c = 2;  \n$d = 4;\necho ($c **= $d)."<br>"; \/\/outputs: 16\n\n$c = 2;  \n$d = 4;\necho ($c &= $d)."<br>"; \/\/outputs: 0\n\n$c = 2;  \n$d = 4;\necho ($c |= $d)."<br>"; \/\/outputs: 6\n\n$c = 2;  \n$d = 4;\necho ($c ^= $d)."<br>"; \/\/outputs: 6\n\n$c = 2;  \n$d = 4;\necho ($c <<= $d)."<br>"; \/\/outputs: 32\n\n$c = 2;  \n$d = 4;\necho ($c >>= $d)."<br>"; \/\/outputs: 0\n\n$c = 2;  \n$d = 4;\necho ($c .= $d)."<br>"; \/\/outputs: 24\n\n$c = 2;  \n$d = 4;\necho ($c ??= $d); \/\/outputs: 2\n?>\n<\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      #3) Comparison Operator<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
      Comparison operators are used to compare values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      The table below shows more details:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
      <\/td>Symbol<\/th>Name<\/th>Syntax<\/th>Description<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
      1<\/td> == <\/td>Equal<\/td>$c == $d<\/td>Return TRUE if $c is equal to $d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      2<\/td> === <\/td>Identical<\/td>$c === $d<\/td>Return TRUE if $c is equal to $d, and they are of the same data type<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      3<\/td>!=<\/td>Not equal<\/td>$c != $d<\/td>Return TRUE if $c is not equal to $d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      4<\/td><><\/td>Not equal<\/td>$c <> $d<\/td>Return TRUE if $c is not equal to $d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      5<\/td>!==<\/td>Not identical<\/td>$c !== $d<\/td>Return TRUE if $c is not equal to $d, and they are not of the same data type<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      6<\/td><<\/td>Less than<\/td>$c < $d<\/td>Return TRUE if $c is less than $d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      7<\/td>><\/td>Greater than<\/td>$c > $d<\/td>Return TRUE if $c is greater than $d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      8<\/td><=<\/td>Less than or equal to<\/td>$c <= $d<\/td>Return TRUE if $c is less than or equal to $d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      9<\/td>>=<\/td>Greater than or equal to<\/td>$c >= $d<\/td>Return TRUE if $c is greater than or equal to $d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      10<\/td><=><\/td>Spaceship<\/td>$c <=>$d<\/td>Return -1, 0 or 1 when $c is less than, equal to, or greater than $d respectively.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
      Note:<\/strong> The following two operators are also referred to as PHP comparison operators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n