PHP syntax basics: variables, arrays, functions

Modern PHP syntax is compact and predictable. This part covers the three things you’ll type most: variables, arrays, and functions.

Variables and types

Variables start with $, and you can trust the types:

declare(strict_types=1);

$name = 'updeta';
$parts = 2;

Arrays

Arrays are ordered maps, and match beats switch for simple branching:

$level = 'beginner';
$label = match ($level) {
    'beginner' => 'Start here',
    default => 'Keep going',
};

Functions

Arrow functions capture variables automatically:

$prices = [10, 25, 40];
$withTax = array_map(fn ($p) => $p * 1.11, $prices);

That’s the daily syntax. Next series we build a small dynamic page with forms and validation.