PHP: Strings vs. Character Arrays

Which is faster: Using strings, or using char arrays?

Author: M Butcher
Date: 2007-10-08 18:46:55 -0400

#!/usr/bin/php
<?php

$f = fopen( '/dev/urandom', 'r' );
$test_string = fread($f, 3 * 1024);
fclose( $f);


##
## Test array: shift
$j = strlen( $test_string);
$t = $test_string;

$t = str_split($t);
#print_r( $t ) && exit;

$start = microtime(true);
for( $i = 0; $i < $j; ++$i ) {
    array_shift( $t );
}
$end = microtime(true);
$total = $end - $start;

$out = "It took $total seconds to process $j characters using shift.\n";
print $out;

unset( $start, $end);

##
## Test substring()
$j = strlen( $test_string);
$t = $test_string;

# Start timer...
$start = microtime(true);
for( $i = 0; $i < $j; ++$i ) {
    $t = substr($t, 1);
}
$end = microtime(true);
# Timer stopped.
$total = $end - $start;

$out = "It took $total seconds to process $j characters using substring.\n";
print $out;
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