The PHP Function Str_Split
The php function str_split is used to convert a string into an array of chunks. It accepts two parameters, a string and an integer defining each array element's length. It returns an array with the split string as its individual elements.
This function has some advantages over the deprecated "split" function, including better performance and code compatibility. However, it also has some drawbacks when compared to other splitting functions or alternative techniques, such as pattern matching.
Technical Details
The str_split function is a predefined PHP function used to convert a string into an array by splitting it into chunks of a specified size. The string to be split must contain a delimiter character, which defines the critical points or points at which the strings will be broken into separate elements of the array. The optional length parameter is used to define the maximum number of characters that each chunk will have; if this value is not provided, each chunk will be one string.
Moreover, the str_split function can also be used to split into bytes instead of characters when dealing with multi-byte encoded strings. This functionality is useful for reverse translating amino acid sequences, for example.
Another downside of the str_split function is that it does not allow for much control over the splitting process, such as specifying whether or not to preserve the delimiter in the resulting array. For this reason, it is not a good choice for complex or large strings where fine-grained control is needed.