console.log() in PHP

Table of contents:

• How to log into the console in PHP
• var_dump() is the console.log() of PHP
• dump() and dd() are the console.log() of Laravel

How to log into the console in PHP

PHP is a server-side scripting language and cannot log into the console just like in JavaScript. PHP code is interpreted and executed by the server, not by your visitors’ web browser.

However, like with console.log() in JavaScript, PHP can print values using the var_dump() function.

Let’s explore in more details, shall we?

var_dump() is the console.log() of PHP

var_dump() is PHP’s workhorse for spitting out a variable’s value.

What does it do exactly? It displays structured information about one or more expressions that include its type and value.

If you var_dump() an object, it will display the class name, the object’s attributes, and their respective values.

Pretty neat, huh?

Let’s look at an example:

var_dump(['Foo', 'Bar', 'Baz']);

The output you’d get from this would be:

array(3) {
  [0]=>
  string(3) "Foo"
  [1]=>
  string(3) "Bar"
  [2]=>
  string(3) "Baz"
}

While var_dump() does a fine job, it isn’t without its limitations.

Its output can sometimes be hard to read, especially with large, nested arrays or objects.

Luckily, the world of PHP debugging is rich and diverse.

Therefore, let me present you Laravel’s debugging helpers, dump() and dd().

dump() and dd() are the console.log() of Laravel

Laravel, the popular PHP framework, introduces a couple of useful helpers that can make our debugging life a bit easier. They’re called dump() and dd().

The dump() function in Laravel works similarly to var_dump(), but it’s a bit friendlier to the eyes.

It prints the data in a more structured and stylized format, making it easier to read and understand.

Let’s use dump() on the same array we used with var_dump():

dump(['Foo', 'Bar', 'Baz']);

The output is more neatly structured and presented:

array:3 [
  0 => "Foo"
  1 => "Bar"
  2 => "Baz"
]

Now, let’s talk about Laravel’s dd() function.

“dd” stands for “dump and die.”

It works similarly to dump(), but with a slight twist. After dumping the data, it halts the execution of the script. This is particularly useful when you want to examine a specific part of your code without letting the rest of it run.

Again, let’s use dd() on our example array:

dd(['Foo', 'Bar', 'Baz']);
 
echo "This will never be executed.";

The output would be the same as dump(), but the script execution will stop immediately after.

There you have it, folks! A journey into the antique world of basic PHP debugging. 👴🏻