Why Are MySQL Integer Fields Retrieved as Strings in PHP, and How Can I Fix It?

MySQL Integer Field Retrieval in PHP

When retrieving integer data from a MySQL database into PHP, it can be surprising to find that the returned value is a string instead. This article addresses this issue and provides a solution.

Problem:

Consider a MySQL table with a field:

userid INT(11)

Fetching this field with the following query:

SELECT userid FROM DB WHERE name='john'

and processing the result as:

$row=$result->fetch_assoc();

$id=$row['userid'];

echo gettype($id); // Outputs: string

reveals that the value of $id is a string, not an integer.

Solution:

MySQL data types are always converted to strings when retrieved using PHP. To convert the string back to an integer, use one of the following methods:

$id = (int) $row['userid']; // Explicit typecasting

$id = intval($row['userid']); // Using the intval() function

By employing either of these methods, you can ensure that your integer values are correctly interpreted and processed within your PHP script.

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