How can I find differences between deeply nested arrays in PHP?

Recursive Comparison of Arrays

When comparing two arrays, it is often useful to perform a recursive diff that explores the nested structure and identifies discrepancies at each level. This can be especially valuable for testing the output of new algorithms or ensuring that data remains consistent.

Existing Function

Fortunately, there is a ready-made function called arrayRecursiveDiff() that provides recursive array comparison. It is implemented in the comments of the PHP array_diff() function and can be used as follows:

function arrayRecursiveDiff($aArray1, $aArray2) {
  $aReturn = array();

  foreach ($aArray1 as $mKey => $mValue) {
    if (array_key_exists($mKey, $aArray2)) {
      if (is_array($mValue)) {
        $aRecursiveDiff = arrayRecursiveDiff($mValue, $aArray2[$mKey]);
        if (count($aRecursiveDiff)) { $aReturn[$mKey] = $aRecursiveDiff; }
      } else {
        if ($mValue != $aArray2[$mKey]) {
          $aReturn[$mKey] = $mValue;
        }
      }
    } else {
      $aReturn[$mKey] = $mValue;
    }
  }
  return $aReturn;
}

This function takes two arrays as arguments and returns an array containing the differences between them. Matching elements are denoted with green, while non-matching parts are highlighted in red.

Usage

To use the arrayRecursiveDiff() function for visualization, you can pass the results to a tool like dBug or create your own custom reporting interface.

Alternative Approaches

If you prefer a different approach, you can build your own recursive diff function or explore other PHP libraries that provide array comparison functionality. However, the arrayRecursiveDiff() function offers a straightforward and efficient method for comparing deeply nested arrays.

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