How to Remove First Element from an Array in PHP?

Given an Array, the task is to remove the first element from the array in PHP. There are three methods to remove the first element from an array, these are – using array_shift(), array_slice(), and unset() functions. Let’s explore each method with detailed explanations and code examples.

Approach 1: Using array_shift() Function

The array_shift() function removes the first element from an array and returns it. This function modifies the original array.

PHP

<?php

$arr = array(10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60);

$removedElement = array_shift($arr);

echo "Removed element: " . $removedElement . "\n";

echo "Updated array: ";
print_r($arr);

?>

Output

Removed element: 10
Updated array: Array
(
    [0] => 20
    [1] => 30
    [2] => 40
    [3] => 50
    [4] => 60
)

Approach 2: Using array_slice() Function

The array_slice() function is used to extract a slice of an array. By specifying the start index as 1, you can remove the first element from the array.

PHP

<?php

$arr = array(10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60);

$updated_array = array_slice($arr, 1);

echo "Updated array: ";
print_r($updated_array);

?>

Output

Updated array: Array
(
    [0] => 20
    [1] => 30
    [2] => 40
    [3] => 50
    [4] => 60
)

Approach 3: Using unset() Function

You can also use the unset() function to remove the first element from an array. This function takes the array and the index of the element to be removed as arguments.

PHP

<?php

$arr = array(10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60);

unset($fruits[0]);

echo "Updated array: ";
print_r($arr);

?>

Output

Updated array: Array
(
    [0] => 10
    [1] => 20
    [2] => 30
    [3] => 40
    [4] => 50
    [5] => 60
)