Question

I saw the following code snippet:

<?php
if(!empty($_POST)): // case I: what is the usage of the :
if(isset($_POST['num']) && $_POST['num'] != ''):

$num = (int)$_POST['num'];

....

if($rows == 0):
echo 'No';

else: // case II: what is usage of :
echo $rows.'Yes';

endif;

I would like to know what the usage of “:” in php code is.

Answer 1

This is the alternative syntax for control structures.

So

if(condition):
    // code here...
else:
    // code here...
endif;

is equivalent to

if(condition) {
    // code here...
} else {
    // code here...
}

This can come very handy when dealing with HTML. Imho, it is easier to read, because you don’t have to look for braces {} and the PHP code and HTML don’t feel like mixed up. Example:

<?php if(somehting): ?>

    <span>Foo</span>

<?php else: ?>

    <span>Bar</span>

<?php endif; ?>

---

I would not use the alternative syntax in “normal” PHP code though, because here the braces provide better readability.