Backend Development 2 min read

PHP str_pad Function: Usage, Parameters, and Examples

This article explains the PHP str_pad function, detailing its syntax, parameter meanings, return value, and provides multiple code examples demonstrating right, left, and both-side padding with custom strings.

Laravel Tech Community
Laravel Tech Community
Laravel Tech Community
PHP str_pad Function: Usage, Parameters, and Examples

The PHP str_pad function pads a string to a specified length using a given padding string and direction.

Syntax: string str_pad ( string $input , int $pad_length [, string $pad_string = " " [, int $pad_type = STR_PAD_RIGHT ]] )

It returns the padded string; if $pad_length is less than or equal to the length of $input , no padding occurs. The optional $pad_string defaults to a space, and $pad_type can be STR_PAD_RIGHT , STR_PAD_LEFT , or STR_PAD_BOTH .

Parameters:

input : the original string.

pad_length : the target length; negative values or values not greater than the input length result in no padding.

pad_string : the string used for padding; if its length does not divide evenly into the required padding, it may be truncated.

pad_type : direction of padding (right, left, both); defaults to STR_PAD_RIGHT .

Example usage:

<?php
$input = "Alien";
echo str_pad($input, 10);                     // outputs "Alien     "
echo str_pad($input, 10, "-=", STR_PAD_LEFT); // outputs "-=-=-Alien"
echo str_pad($input, 10, "_", STR_PAD_BOTH); // outputs "__Alien___"
echo str_pad($input, 6, "___");               // outputs "Alien_"
BackendprogrammingphpString()Paddingstr_pad
Laravel Tech Community
Written by

Laravel Tech Community

Specializing in Laravel development, we continuously publish fresh content and grow alongside the elegant, stable Laravel framework.

0 followers
Reader feedback

How this landed with the community

login Sign in to like

Rate this article

Was this worth your time?

Sign in to rate
Discussion

0 Comments

Thoughtful readers leave field notes, pushback, and hard-won operational detail here.