[php] PHP function to build query string from array

I'm looking for the name of the PHP function to build a query string from an array of key value pairs. Please note, I am looking for the built in PHP function to do this, not a homebrew one (that's all a google search seems to return). There is one, I just can't remember its name or find it on php.net. IIRC its name isn't that intuitive.

This question is related to php

The answer is


Implode will combine an array into a string for you, but to make an SQL query out a kay/value pair you'll have to write your own function.


Just as addition to @thatjuan's answer.
More compatible PHP4 version of this:

if (!function_exists('http_build_query')) {
    if (!defined('PHP_QUERY_RFC1738')) {
        define('PHP_QUERY_RFC1738', 1);
    }
    if (!defined('PHP_QUERY_RFC3986')) {
        define('PHP_QUERY_RFC3986', 2);
    }
    function http_build_query($query_data, $numeric_prefix = '', $arg_separator = '&', $enc_type = PHP_QUERY_RFC1738)
    {
        $data = array();
        foreach ($query_data as $key => $value) {
            if (is_numeric($key)) {
                $key = $numeric_prefix . $key;
            }
            if (is_scalar($value)) {
                $k = $enc_type == PHP_QUERY_RFC3986 ? urlencode($key) : rawurlencode($key);
                $v = $enc_type == PHP_QUERY_RFC3986 ? urlencode($value) : rawurlencode($value);
                $data[] = "$k=$v";
            } else {
                foreach ($value as $sub_k => $val) {
                    $k = "$key[$sub_k]";
                    $k = $enc_type == PHP_QUERY_RFC3986 ? urlencode($k) : rawurlencode($k);
                    $v = $enc_type == PHP_QUERY_RFC3986 ? urlencode($val) : rawurlencode($val);
                    $data[] = "$k=$v";
                }
            }
        }
        return implode($arg_separator, $data);
    }
}

Implode will combine an array into a string for you, but to make an SQL query out a kay/value pair you'll have to write your own function.


Just as addition to @thatjuan's answer.
More compatible PHP4 version of this:

if (!function_exists('http_build_query')) {
    if (!defined('PHP_QUERY_RFC1738')) {
        define('PHP_QUERY_RFC1738', 1);
    }
    if (!defined('PHP_QUERY_RFC3986')) {
        define('PHP_QUERY_RFC3986', 2);
    }
    function http_build_query($query_data, $numeric_prefix = '', $arg_separator = '&', $enc_type = PHP_QUERY_RFC1738)
    {
        $data = array();
        foreach ($query_data as $key => $value) {
            if (is_numeric($key)) {
                $key = $numeric_prefix . $key;
            }
            if (is_scalar($value)) {
                $k = $enc_type == PHP_QUERY_RFC3986 ? urlencode($key) : rawurlencode($key);
                $v = $enc_type == PHP_QUERY_RFC3986 ? urlencode($value) : rawurlencode($value);
                $data[] = "$k=$v";
            } else {
                foreach ($value as $sub_k => $val) {
                    $k = "$key[$sub_k]";
                    $k = $enc_type == PHP_QUERY_RFC3986 ? urlencode($k) : rawurlencode($k);
                    $v = $enc_type == PHP_QUERY_RFC3986 ? urlencode($val) : rawurlencode($val);
                    $data[] = "$k=$v";
                }
            }
        }
        return implode($arg_separator, $data);
    }
}

Implode will combine an array into a string for you, but to make an SQL query out a kay/value pair you'll have to write your own function.


As this question is quite old and for PHP, here is a way to do it in the (currently) very popular PHP framework Laravel.

To encode the query string for a path in your application, give your routes names and then use the route() helper function like so:

route('documents.list.', ['foo' => 'bar']);

The result will look something like:

http://localhost/documents/list?foo=bar

Also be aware that if your route has any path segment parameters e.g. /documents/{id}, then make sure you pass an id argument to the route() parameters too, otherwise it will default to using the value of the first parameter.


Here's a simple php4-friendly implementation:

/**
* Builds an http query string.
* @param array $query  // of key value pairs to be used in the query
* @return string       // http query string.
**/
function build_http_query( $query ){

    $query_array = array();

    foreach( $query as $key => $key_value ){

        $query_array[] = urlencode( $key ) . '=' . urlencode( $key_value );

    }

    return implode( '&', $query_array );

}

As this question is quite old and for PHP, here is a way to do it in the (currently) very popular PHP framework Laravel.

To encode the query string for a path in your application, give your routes names and then use the route() helper function like so:

route('documents.list.', ['foo' => 'bar']);

The result will look something like:

http://localhost/documents/list?foo=bar

Also be aware that if your route has any path segment parameters e.g. /documents/{id}, then make sure you pass an id argument to the route() parameters too, otherwise it will default to using the value of the first parameter.


Here's a simple php4-friendly implementation:

/**
* Builds an http query string.
* @param array $query  // of key value pairs to be used in the query
* @return string       // http query string.
**/
function build_http_query( $query ){

    $query_array = array();

    foreach( $query as $key => $key_value ){

        $query_array[] = urlencode( $key ) . '=' . urlencode( $key_value );

    }

    return implode( '&', $query_array );

}