is there a difference between if($var == false) and if(false == $var)

[jaikar]

hi there,

 

is there a difference between if($var == false) and if(false == $var)

 

thankyou!

[johnny86]

No there isn't. It's just comparing. It's the same as asking if this apple is the same color as this orange; or you might as well ask if this orange is the same color as this apple.

 

But there is difference in $var == false and $var === false

 

$var = 0;

$var == false // TRUE

$var === false // FALSE

 

=== will also compare the variable type. It checks if it's a bool, string or integer for example.

 

$var = "1";

 

$var == 1 // TRUE

$var === 1 // FALSE

[Zurev]

Which is the same as the logical operator ! (NOT)

 

$var = false;

if (!$var)
{
echo "var is equal to false";
} else {
echo "var is equal to true";

}

 

Returns var is equal to false.

[the182guy]

Which is the same as the logical operator ! (NOT)

 

$var = false;

if (!$var)
{
echo "var is equal to false";
} else {
echo "var is equal to true";

}

 

Returns var is equal to false.

 

It would be

 

if ($var != true)

[ignace]

Which is the same as the logical operator ! (NOT)

 

$var = false;

if (!$var)
{
echo "var is equal to false";
} else {
echo "var is equal to true";

}

 

Returns var is equal to false.

 

It would be

 

if ($var != true)

 

if(!$var) and if($var != true) or if($var == false) all produce the same result -> "var is equal to false" (not entirely correct it could be aswell: null, '', array(), 0).

 

Junior programmers are often told to write if(false == $var) to make sure they'll never write if(false = $var) or if(1 = $var) as this will produce a fatal error, you can't redefine false nor 1.

 

In case of boolean variables (depending on your companies coding guidelines) you can shorten if($var == false) to if(!$var) as you actually say the same thing: execute when $var = false

[theverychap]

I'm sure i read somewhere that where comparing like:

 

if ( $var === TRUE )

 

It's quicker for php to process:

 

if ( TRUE === $var )

 

An even faster way would be:

 

if ( !$var == TRUE )

 

And EVEN faster:

 

if ( !empty($var) )