PHP unserialize() Function

The PHP unserialize() function is used to convert takes a serialized variable back into a PHP value.

Syntax

unserialize(data, options)

Parameters

`data`	`Required.` Specify the serialized string.
`options`	`Optional.` Specify options to be provided to the function, as an associative array. Can be either an array of class names which should be accepted, false to accept no classes, or true to accept all classes. Default is true.

Return Value

Returns the converted value, and it can be a bool, int, float, string, array or object. In case the passed string is not unserializeable, false is returned and E_NOTICE is issued.

Exceptions

Objects may throw Throwables in their unserialization handlers.

Example: unserialize() example

The example below shows the usage of unserialize() function.

<?php
//defining an array 
$arr = array( 
    "Hello", 
    array(10, 20),
    "World"
);

//serializing the array 
$str = serialize($arr); 
  
//displaying the result
echo $str."\n"; 

//unserializing the string 
$newStr = unserialize($str); 
  
//displaying the result
print_r($newStr); 
?>

The output of the above code will be:

a:3:{i:0;s:5:"Hello";i:1;a:2:{i:0;i:10;i:1;i:20;}i:2;s:5:"World";}
Array
(
    [0] => Hello
    [1] => Array
        (
            [0] => 10
            [1] => 20
        )

    [2] => World
)

❮ PHP Variable Handling Reference