How to use php serialize() and unserialize() Function

In PHP, the complex data can not be transported or can not be stored. If you want to execute continuously a complex set of data beyond a single script then this serialize() and unserialize() functions are handy to deal with those complex data structures. The serialize() function is just given a compatible shape to a complex data structure that the PHP can handle that data after that you can reverse the work by using the unserialize() function.

Most often, we need to store a complex array in the database or in a file from PHP. Some of us might have surely searched for some built-in function to accomplish this task. Complex arrays are arrays with elements of more than one data-types or array. But, we already have a handy solution to handle this situation.

Serialize() Function: The serialize() is an inbuilt function PHP that is used to serialize the given array. The serialize() function accepts a single parameter which is the data we want to serialize and returns a serialized string.

• Syntax:

  serialize( $values_in_form_of_array )

• Below program illustrate the Serialize() function.
  Program:

  <?php
  
  // Complex array
  $myvar = array(
      'hello',
      42,
      array(1, 'two'),
      'apple'
  );
  
  // Convert to a string
  $string = serialize($myvar);
  
  // Printing the serialized data
  echo $string;
  
  ?>
• Output:

  a:4:{i:0;s:5:"hello";i:1;i:42;i:2;a:2:{i:
  0;i:1;i:1;s:3:"two";}i:3;s:5:"apple";}

Unserialize() Function: The unserialize() is an inbuilt function php that is used to unserialize the given serialized array to get back to the original value of the complex array, $myvar.

• Syntax:

  unserialize( $serialized_array )

• Below program illustrate both serialize() and unserialize() functions:
  Program:

  <?php
  
  // Complex array
  $myvar = array(
      'hello',
      42,
      array(1, 'two'),
      'apple'
  );
  
  // Serialize the above data
  $string = serialize($myvar);
  
  // Unserializing the data in $string
  $newvar = unserialize($string);
  
  // Printing the unserialized data
  print_r($newvar);
  
  ?>
• Output:

  Array
  (
      [0] => hello
      [1] => 42
      [2] => Array
          (
              [0] => 1
              [1] => two
          )
  
      [3] => apple
  )
  

Note: For more depth knowledge you can check PHP | Serializing Data article.