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

More often than not, we need to store a complex array in a database or in a file from PHP. Some of us were probably looking for some kind of built-in function to accomplish this task. Complex arrays - they are arrays with elements of more than one data type or array. But we already have a convenient solution to deal with this situation.Serialize() function:serialize() - it is a built-in PHP function that is used to serialize a given array. The serialize() function takes one parameter, which is the data we want to serialize, and returns a serialized string.

• Syntax:

  serialize ($values_in_form_of_array) 

• The program below illustrates the Serialize() function. 
  Program :  
// Complex array $myvar = array ( ’hello’ , 42, array (1, ’two’ ), ’apple’);  
// Convert to string $string = serialize ( $myvar );  
// Print serialized data echo $string ;  
?>
• Exit:

  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:unserialize() - this is a built-in php function that is used to deserialize a given serialized array to revert to the original complex array value, $myvar.

• Syntax:

  unserialize ($serialized_array ) 

• The program below illustrates the serialize() and unserialize() functions:
  Program :  
// Complex array $myvar = array ( ’hello’ , 42, arra y (1, ’two’ ), ’apple’) ;  
// Serialize the above data $string = serialize ( $myvar );  
// deserialize data into $string $newvar = unserialize ( $string );  
// Print unserialized data print_r ( $newvar );  
?>
• Exit:

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

Note:for more in-depth knowledge, you can check out PHP | Serializing data articles.