Using PHP's wordwrap() Function for String Wrapping

wordwrap() Function Overview

In PHP development, string manipulation is common. The wordwrap() function inserts line breaks so that each line reaches a specified length.

Syntax

wordwrap(string $str, int $width = 75, string $break = "
", bool $cut = false): string

Parameter Explanation

$str

: the input string to be wrapped. $width: maximum line length (default 75). $break: line break string (default "\n"). $cut: whether to cut words; true forces breaking inside words, false breaks at word boundaries.

Application Examples

1. Wrap a long string

<?php
$str = "This is a long string that needs to be wrapped to fit within a certain width.";
$width = 20;
$result = wordwrap($str, $width);
echo $result;
// Output:
// This is a long
// string that needs to
// be wrapped to fit
// within a certain
// width.
?>

2. Specify break character and width

<?php
$str = "This is a long string that needs to be wrapped to fit within a certain width.";
$width = 15;
$break = "<br>";
$result = wordwrap($str, $width, $break);
echo $result;
// Output:
// This is a long<br>string that<br>needs to be<br>wrapped to fit<br>within a certain<br>width.
?>

3. Break inside words

<?php
$str = "This is a long string that needs to be wrapped to fit within a certain width.";
$width = 15;
$break = "<br>";
$cut = true;
$result = wordwrap($str, $width, $break, $cut);
echo $result;
// Output:
// This is a long<br>string that<br>needs to be<br>wrapped to fit<br>within a<br>certain width.
?>

4. Wrap multi-line strings

<?php
$str = "Hello
World";
$width = 10;
$result = wordwrap($str, $width);
echo $result;
// Output:
// Hello
// World
?>

5. Handle strings with special characters

<?php
$str = "This is a long string that needs to be wrapped to fit within a certain width.";
$width = 15;
$break = "<br>";
$result = wordwrap($str, $width, $break);
echo htmlspecialchars($result);
// Output:
// This is a long<br>string that<br>needs to be<br>wrapped to fit<br>within a certain<br>width.
?>

Conclusion

The wordwrap() function is a convenient tool for string wrapping in PHP, allowing developers to control line length, break characters, and word cutting to improve code readability and output formatting.