PHP Manual
Prev |  | Next

# gettype

(PHP 3, PHP 4, PHP 5)

gettype -- Get the type of a variable

## Description

string gettype ( mixed var )

Returns the type of the PHP variable var.

Warning
Never use gettype() to test for a certain type, since the returned string may be subject to change in a future version. In addition, it is slow too, as it involves string comparison. Instead, use the is_* functions.

## Return Values

Possibles values for the returned string are:

- "boolean" (since PHP 4)

- "integer"

- "double" (for historical reasons "double" is returned in case of a float, and not simply "float")

- "string"

- "array"

- "object"

- "resource" (since PHP 4)

- "NULL" (since PHP 4)

- "user function" (PHP 3 only, deprecated)

- "unknown type"

For PHP 4, you should use function_exists() and method_exists() to replace the prior usage of gettype() on a function.

## See Also

settype()
is_array()
is_bool()
is_float()
is_int()
is_null()
is_numeric()
is_object()
is_resource()
is_scalar()
is_string()

Prev | Home | Next
get_resource_type | Up | import_request_variables