Question

I am looking to expand on my PHP knowledge, and I came across something I am not sure what it is or how to even search for it. I am looking at php.net isset code, and I see isset($_GET['something']) ? $_GET['something'] : ''

I understand normal isset operations, such as if(isset($_GET['something']){ If something is exists, then it is set and we will do something } but I don’t understand the ?, repeating the get again, the : or the ”. Can someone help break this down for me or at least point me in the right direction?

Answer 1

It’s commonly referred to as ‘shorthand’ or the Ternary Operator.

$test = isset($_GET['something']) ? $_GET['something'] : '';

means

if(isset($_GET['something'])) {
    $test = $_GET['something'];
} else {
    $test = '';
}

To break it down:

$test = ... // assign variable
isset(...) // test
? ... // if test is true, do ... (equivalent to if)
: ... // otherwise... (equivalent to else)

Or…

// test --v
if(isset(...)) { // if test is true, do ... (equivalent to ?)
    $test = // assign variable
} else { // otherwise... (equivalent to :)