Stop Using array_filter to Find One Item
T
Theodoros Kafantaris
Published on December 06, 2025
How often do you need to find just the first matching item in an array? Historically, developers used array_filter (which loops through everything) and then grabbed the reset() or current() item. It was messy and inefficient.
Modern PHP finally introduces array_find.
The Old Way:
Code
$users = [...];
// Inefficient: Filters ALL users, creates new array, then gets first.
$admin = reset(array_filter($users, fn($u) => $u->role === 'admin'));
The Modern Way:
Code
$users = [...];
// Efficient: Stops as soon as it finds the match. Returns object or null.
$admin = array_find($users, fn($u) => $u->role === 'admin');
if ($admin) {
// Do something
}
Why use it?
-
Performance: It stops looping the moment it finds a match.
-
Readability: The intent of the code is immediately clear.
