1.2.805. No Empty String With explode()

explode() doesn’t allow empty strings as separator. Until PHP 8.0, it would make a warning, and return false. After that version, it raises a ValueError.

To break a string into individual characters, it is possible to use the array notation on strings, or to use the str_split() function.

<?php

explode('', "a");

?>

1.2.805.1. Related PHP errors

• 0

• 1

1.2.805.1.1. Suggestions

• Check for empty strings (or equivalent) before using explode()

• Use the array notation to access individual chars

• Use str_split() to break the string into an array

1.2.805.1.2. Specs

Short name	Structures/NoEmptyStringWithExplode
Rulesets	All, Analyze, Changed Behavior
Exakat since	2.5.2
PHP Version	All
Severity	Minor
Time To Fix	Quick (30 mins)
Changed Behavior	PHP 8.0
Precision	High
Available in	Entreprise Edition, Exakat Cloud