Parses the string into variables

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- PHP Manual
- String Functions
- Parses the string into variables

# parse_str

(PHP 4, PHP 5, PHP 7, PHP 8)

parse_str — Parses the string into variables

### Description

parse_str(string `$string`, array `&$result`): void

Parses `string` as if it were the query string passed via a URL and sets variables in the current scope (or in the array if `result` is provided).

### Parameters

`string`

  The input string.

`result`

  If the second parameter `result` is present, variables are stored in this variable as array elements instead.

  Warning

  Using this function without the `result` parameter is highly DISCOURAGED and DEPRECATED as of PHP 7.2. As of PHP 8.0.0, the `result` parameter is mandatory.

### Return Values

No value is returned.

### Changelog

Version | Description
--- | ---
8.0.0 | `result` is no longer optional.
7.2.0 | Usage of parse_str() without a second parameter now emits an `E_DEPRECATED` notice.

### Examples

Example #1 Using parse_str()

    <?php
    $str = "first=value&arr[]=foo+bar&arr[]=baz";

    // Recommended
    parse_str($str, $output);
    echo $output['first'];  // value
    echo $output['arr'][0]; // foo bar
    echo $output['arr'][1]; // baz

    // DISCOURAGED
    parse_str($str);
    echo $first;  // value
    echo $arr[0]; // foo bar
    echo $arr[1]; // baz
    ?>

Because variables in PHP can't have dots and spaces in their names, those are converted to underscores. Same applies to naming of respective key names in case of using this function with `result` parameter.

Example #2 parse_str() name mangling

    <?php
    parse_str("My Value=Something");
    echo $My_Value; // Something

    parse_str("My Value=Something", $output);
    echo $output['My_Value']; // Something
    ?>

### Notes

> Note:

> All variables created (or values returned into array if second parameter is set) are already urldecode()d.

> Note:

> To get the current `QUERY_STRING`, you may use the variable $_SERVER['QUERY_STRING']. Also, you may want to read the section on variables from external sources.

### See Also

- parse_url() - Parse a URL and return its components
- pathinfo() - Returns information about a file path
- http_build_query() - Generate URL-encoded query string
- urldecode() - Decodes URL-encoded string