Fetch a key from an array

key_exists
krsort
Array Functions
PHP Manual

# key

(PHP 4, PHP 5, PHP 7)

key — Fetch a key from an array

### Description

mixed key ( array `&$array` )

key() returns the index element of the current array position.

### Parameters

`array`

  The array.

### Return Values

The key() function simply returns the key of the array element that's currently being pointed to by the internal pointer. It does not move the pointer in any way. If the internal pointer points beyond the end of the elements list or the array is empty, key() returns `NULL`.

### Examples

Example #1 key() example

`<?php
$array = array(
'fruit1' => 'apple',
'fruit2' => 'orange',
'fruit3' => 'grape',
'fruit4' => 'apple',
'fruit5' => 'apple');
// this cycle echoes all associative array
// key where value equals "apple"
while ($fruit_name = current($array)) {
if ($fruit_name == 'apple') {
echo key($array).'<br />';
}
next($array);
}
?>`

The above example will output:

    fruit1<br />
    fruit4<br />
    fruit5<br />

### See Also

- current() - Return the current element in an array
- next() - Advance the internal array pointer of an array

key_exists
krsort
Array Functions
PHP Manual