codeigniter, result() vs. result_array()

Question

I use both result() and result_array().

Usually i like to get my result as array thats why i use result_array() mostly..

But i want

Answer 1

result() returns Object type data. . . . result_array() returns Associative Array type data.

Answer 2

result_array() is faster, result() is easier

Answer 3

for the sake of reference:

// $query->result_object() === $query->result()
// returns:
Array ( [0] => stdClass Object ( [col_A] => val_1A , [col_B] => val_1B , ... ) 
        [0] => stdClass Object ( [col_A] => val_2A , [col_B] => val_2B , ... ) 
        ...  
      ) 

// $query->result_array() !== $query->result()
// returns:
Array ( [0] => Array ( [col_A] => val_1A , [col_B] => val_1B , ... ) 
        [1] => Array ( [col_A] => val_2A , [col_B] => val_2B , ... )
        ... 
      ) 

codeigniter docs for result(), and result_array()

Answer 4

Returning pure array is slightly faster than returning an array of objects.

Answer 5

result() is recursive in that it returns an std class object where as result_array() just returns a pure array, so result_array() would be choice regarding performance. There is very little difference in speed though.

Answer 6

Result has an optional $type parameter which decides what type of result is returned. By default ($type = "object"), it returns an object (result_object()). It can be set to "array", then it will return an array of result, that being equivalent of caling result_array(). The third version accepts a custom class to use as a result object.

The code from CodeIgniter:

/**
* Query result. Acts as a wrapper function for the following functions.
*
* @param string $type 'object', 'array' or a custom class name
* @return array
*/
public function result($type = 'object')
{
    if ($type === 'array')
    {
        return $this->result_array();
    }
    elseif ($type === 'object')
    {
        return $this->result_object();
    }
    else
    {
        return $this->custom_result_object($type);
    }
}

Arrays are technically faster, but they are not objects. It depends where do you want to use the result. Most of the time, arrays are sufficient.