Using the PHP Function is_int to Validate and Verify Integers
PHP is a great platform for performing a variety of different arithmetic operations. In addition to basic arithmetic functions, it provides a number of useful math functions, such as is_int, that help validate and verify integers. This article discusses the types of integers, their size restrictions, and how to format and verify them. It also explores numerous useful math functions, such as ctype_digit, floor(), round(), max(), min(), and sqrt(), that perform different arithmetic functions on integer values.
In this article, we’ll use the php function is_int to verify that a variable is an integer. While this function looks similar to is_numeric, it’s important to note that they’re not identical. Is_int examines a variable’s type, specifically string, and will identify it as an integer when the value is an integer-like string (such as one obtained from $_GET, which are always strings) or when it contains numbers. However, it will not identify numbers that contain signs or are in hexadecimal form as integers.
Is_numeric, on the other hand, verifies that a variable is an integer and will identify as such even if the value is in hexadecimal form or has a decimal point. It’s also effective at selecting float values, such as 3.14. This makes is_numeric a much better choice for verifying that a variable is a float than is_int, which can produce incorrect results for certain values.