How can I combine two strings together in PHP?

Question

I don't actually know how to describe what I wanted, but I'll show you:

For example:

$data1 = "the color is";
$data2 = "red";

What should I do (or process) so $result is the combination of $data1 and $data2?

Desired result:

$result = "the color is red";

Steffie

Answer 1

$result = $data1 . $data2;

This is called string concatenation. Your example lacks a space though, so for that specifically, you would need:

$result = $data1 . ' ' . $data2;

Gilgilba

Answer 2

There are several ways to concatenate two strings together.

Use the concatenation operator . (and .=)

In PHP . is the concatenation operator which returns the concatenation of its right and left arguments

$data1 = "the color is";
$data2 = "red";
$result = $data1 . ' ' . $data2;

If you want to append a string to another string you would use the .= operator:

$data1 = "the color is ";
$data1 .= "red"

Complex (curly) syntax / double quotes strings

In PHP variables contained in double quoted strings are interpolated (i.e. their values are "swapped out" for the variable). This means you can place the variables in place of the strings and just put a space in between them. The curly braces make it clear where the variables are.

$result = "{$data1} {$data2}";

Note: this will also work without the braces in your case:

$result = "$data1 $data2";

You can also concatenate array values inside a string :

$arr1 = ['val' => 'This is a'];
$arr2 = ['val' => 'test'];
$variable = "{$arr1['val']} {$arr2['val']}";

Use sprintf() or printf()

sprintf() allows us to format strings using powerful formatting options. It is overkill for such simple concatenation but it handy when you have a complex string and/or want to do some formatting of the data as well.

$result = sprintf("%s %s", $data1, $data2);

printf() does the same thing but will immediately display the output.

printf("%s %s", $data1, $data2);
// same as
$result = sprintf("%s %s", $data1, $data2);
echo $result;

Heredoc

Heredocs can also be used to combine variables into a string.

$result= <<<EOT
$data1 $data2
EOT;

Use a , with echo()

This only works when echoing out content and not assigning to a variable. But you can use a comma to separate a list of expressions for PHP to echo out and use a string with one blank space as one of those expressions:

echo $data1, ' ', $data2;

Hungerford

Answer 3

Another possibility is the .= operator. I'm using it for huge SQL queries.

$string = "the color is ";
$string .= "red";

echo $string; // Gives: the color is red

Pitsaw

"I'm using it for huge sql queries." - note that it is a typical way of getting en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQL_injection – Pitchblende

how exactly concatenating string this or other way will give me sql injection in my parameterized query? – Pitsaw

Manually building entire SQL queries (at least suggested by "for huge sql queries") is not OK. Preparing just parameters, not entire queries should be safe from this specific security risk. – Pitchblende

Answer 4

Concatenate them with the . operator:

$result = $data1 . " " . $data2;

Or use string interpolation:

$result = "$data1 $data2";

Paramecium

Answer 5

$result = implode(' ', array($data1, $data2));

is more generic.

Imparadise

this is very useful in a case where you want to make a delimited list as it checks if the vars have any values $email_to = implode(', ', array($addr1, $addr2, addr3)); no need for if($addr != '') etc – Santiagosantillan

Don't choose array functions, unless you must. Because array functions allways slower than operators. Additionally; they use more ram. – Showman

Answer 6

Another form available is this:

<?php
$data1 = "the color is";
$data2 = "red";
$result = "{$data1} {$data2}";

Ted

Answer 7

You can try the following line of code

$result = $data1 . " " . $data2;

Nepean

I would rather use single quotes instead of double quotes. link – Kunlun

Answer 8

You can do this using PHP:

$txt1 = "the color is";
$txt2 = " red!";
echo $txt1 . $txt2;

This will combine two strings and the output will be: "the color is red!".

Funch

Your fabricated input values do not represent the OP's input string and you are echoing solutions that have been stated YEARS earlier. This is not a javascript question so that advice is irrelevant. This post adds no value to the page. – Powel

@mickmackusa, ok I updated text, you are right but I gave js answer here because this is a very basic question so the user can learn the difference – Funch

Your update is NOT using the OP's text. Do not provide javascript solutions to php questions. This answer is poorly formatted and adds no value to the page. – Powel

Answer 9

A period is used to concatenate strings. Simple example to turn two string variables into a single variable:

$full = $part1 . $part2;

In your example, you'd want to do:

$result = $data1 . ' ' . $data2;

You'll notice I added a string of one space between the two variables. This is because your original $data1 did not end with a space. If you had combined them without it, your $result variable would end up looking like the color isred.

Indefensible

Answer 10

This should work for you:

$result = $data1 . " " . $data2;` 

Reference: PHP String Variables

Backfield

Answer 11

Try this:

$result = $data1 . $data2;

Colson

This isn't correct answer. it results "the color isred". Also, your answer is duplicated from someone's answer posted years ago. Down voted. – Gorgeous

Answer 12

I am not exactly clear with what your requirements are, but basically you could separately define the two variables and thereafter combine them together.

$data1="The colour is ";
$data2="red";

$result=$data1.$data2;

By doing so you can even declare $data2 as a global level, so you could change its value during execution. For instance, it could obtain the answer "red" from a checkbox.

Shepherd

Answer 13

$s = "my name is ";

$s .= "keyur";

echo $s; 

result:

my name is keyur

Ubangi

Welcome to StackOverflow. It is nice, if you answer questions. However, if you do, please format it propertly. Further, your answer was already given. How does it add additional value to this four year old post? – Aether

This is just a repeat of the existing answers. – Mccourt

Answer 14

$result = $data1 . ' ' . $data2;

or

The best way.

$result = "$data1 $data2";

or

$result = "{$data1} {$data2};

Atingle

Answer 15

The easiest way that already mentioned here:

$result = $data1 . ' ' . $data2;

In some cases you may need to use functions like join() or implode(). Both the functions does the same thing that is it convert array items into string.

Example 1:

$result = join(' ', [$data1, $data2]);

Example 2:

$result = implode(' ', [$data1, $data2]);

Pyemia

Answer 16

you can make your on array have empty not empty values; and use filter and implode to make full sentence

$str1 = 'hello';
$str2 = 'my name';
$str3 = 'vijay';
$str4 = '';
$fullsentence = array_filter([$str1, $str2, $str3, $str4]);
echo implode(' ', $fullsentence);

Eckard

Answer 17

1. Concatenate the string (space between each string)

   Code Snippet:

   <?php
       $txt1 = "Sachin";
       $txt2 = "Tendulkar";
   
       $result = $txt1 . $txt2 ;
       echo $result . "\n";
   ?>
   

   Output: SachinTendulkar

2. Concatenate the string where space exists

   Code Snippet:

    <?php
        $txt1 = "Sachin";
        $txt2 = "Tendulkar";
   
        $result = $txt1 . " " . $txt2;
        echo $result . "\n";
    ?>
   

   Output: Sachin Tendulkar

3. Concatenate the string using printf function.

   Code Snippet:

    <?php
        $data1 = "Sachin";
        $data2 = "Tendulkar";
        printf("%s%s\n", $data1, $data2);
        printf("%s %s\n", $data1, $data2);
    ?>
   

   Output:

    SachinTendulkar
    Sachin Tendulkar
   

Organ

What does this answer offer that hasn't already been provided by the other answers? – Hungerford

Answer 18

Combine two strings together in PHP:

$result = $data1 . ' ' . $data2;

Latrice

This answer offers nothing the other answers haven't already provided and offers no explanation as to why or how this works. – Hungerford

Answer 19

Try this. We can append a string in PHP with the dot (.) symbol

$data1 = "the color is";
$data2 = "red";

echo $data1 . $data2; // The color isred
echo $data1 . " " . $data2; // The color is red (we have appended space)

Statued

This answer offers nothing the other answers haven't already provided. – Hungerford