Note: empty array is converted to null by non-strict equal '==' comparison. Use is_null() or '===' if there is possible of getting empty array.
$a = array();
$a == null <== return true
$a === null < == return false
is_null($a) <== return false
特別な null
値は、ある変数が値を持たないことを表します。null
は、null 型の唯一の値です。
変数は、以下の場合に null
とみなされます。
定数 null
が代入されている場合。
まだ値が何も代入されていない場合。
unset() されている場合。
null
へのキャスト
この機能は PHP 7.2.0 で 非推奨になります。この機能に頼らないことを強く推奨します。
(unset) $var
を使って変数を null にキャストすると、
その変数を削除したり値の設定を解除したりはしません。
単に null
値を返すだけです。
Note: empty array is converted to null by non-strict equal '==' comparison. Use is_null() or '===' if there is possible of getting empty array.
$a = array();
$a == null <== return true
$a === null < == return false
is_null($a) <== return false
Note: Non Strict Comparison '==' returns bool(true) for
null == 0 <-- returns true
Use Strict Comparison Instead
null === 0 <-- returns false
NULL is supposed to indicate the absence of a value, rather than being thought of as a value itself. It's the empty slot, it's the missing information, it's the unanswered question. It's not a jumped-up zero or empty set.
This is why a variable containing a NULL is considered to be unset: it doesn't have a value. Setting a variable to NULL is telling it to forget its value without providing a replacement value to remember instead. The variable remains so that you can give it a proper value to remember later; this is especially important when the variable is an array element or object property.
It's a bit of semantic awkwardness to speak of a "null value", but if a variable can exist without having a value, the language and implementation have to have something to represent that situation. Because someone will ask. If only to see if the slot has been filled.
Funny. It looks like, that there is one, and only one possible value for variable $a that will pass this test:
($a != NULL) && ((bool)$a == NULL)
It's "0" and it works because casting string "0" to boolean gives FALSE (and it's the only non empty string, that works this way). So remember that casting is not "transitive".
Watch out. You can define a new constant with the name NULL with define("NULL","FOO");. But you must use the function constant("NULL"); to get it's value. NULL without the function call to the constant() function will still retrieve the special type NULL value.
Within a class there is no problem, as const NULL="Foo"; will be accessible as myClass::NULL.