PHPerKaigi 2025

max

(PHP 4, PHP 5, PHP 7, PHP 8)

maxTrova il valore massimo

Descrizione

max(number $arg1, number $arg2, number $... = ?): mixed
max(array $numbers, array $... = ?): mixed

max() restituisce il numericamente più grande dei valori dati come parametro.

Se il primo ed unico parametro è un array, max() restituisce il massimo dei valori di tale array. Se il primo parametro è un integer, string o double, si ha bisogno almeno di due parametri e max() restituisce il maggiore di tali valori. Si può confrontare un numero illimitato di valori.

Nota:

Le stringhe non numeriche saranno considerate dal PHP come 0, ma verrà restituita la stringa se questa è il più alto valore numerico. Se vi sono più argomenti considerati come 0, la funzione max() restituirà il primo (il valore più a sinistra).

Example #1 Esempio di max()

<?php
echo max(1, 3, 5, 6, 7); // 7
echo max(array(2, 4, 5)); // 5

echo max(0, 'hello'); // 0
echo max('hello', 0); // hello
echo max(-1, 'hello'); // hello

// Con diversi array, max confronta da sinistra a destra
// quindi nell'esempio: 2 == 2, e 4 < 5
$val = max(array(2, 4, 8), array(2, 5, 7)); // array(2, 5, 7)

// Nel caso siano forniti array e parametri non array, la funzione restituirà
// sempre l'array, considerando questo il più grande
$val = max('string', array(2, 5, 7), 42); // array(2, 5, 7)
?>

Vedere anche min() e count().

add a note

User Contributed Notes 12 notes

up
66
keith at bifugi dot com
8 years ago
The simplest way to get around the fact that max() won't give the key is array_search:

<?php
$student_grades
= array ("john" => 100, "sarah" => 90, "anne" => 100);
$top_student = array_search(max($student_grades),$student_grades); // john
?>

This could also be done with array_flip, though overwriting will mean that it gets the last max value rather than the first:

<?php
$grades_index
= array_flip($student_grades);
$top_student = $grades_index[max($student_grades)]; // anne
?>

To get all the max value keys:

<?php
$top_students
= array_keys($student_grades,max($student_grades)); // john, anne
?>
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4
Samu
1 year ago
With modern PHP versions supporting the array spread operator for function arguments, it's tempting to call max() like this:

<?php
function stuff(): iterable {
// This function might yield 0, 1 or n values.
}

$foo = max(...stuff());
?>

However, this is dangerous if you cannot guarantee that your generator yields **minimum** two values.

The gotcha here is that when max() receives a single argument, it must be an array of values. (When the generator doesn't yield any values, max() will throw an ArgumentCountError.)

If you can guarantee that your generator yields at least one value, then it's safe to call max by relying on the aforementioned array expectation:

<?php
function stuff(): iterable {
// This function will yield 1...n values.
}

// Note that here the generator is first read into an array.
$foo = max([...stuff()]);
?>

If the array is empty, max() will throw a ValueError.

The added burden is that faulty code could appear to appear to function just fine but fails at random, probably causing a lot of head-scratching at first.
up
14
deoomen
2 years ago
Watch out after PHP 8.0!

Sample code:

<?php
echo max(0,'hello');
?>

Before PHP 8.0 will return int(0) but since PHP 8.0 above code returns string("hello")!!
up
20
volch5 at gmail dot com
10 years ago
max() (and min()) on DateTime objects compares them like dates (with timezone info) and returns DateTime object.
<?php
$dt1
= new DateTime('2014-05-07 18:53', new DateTimeZone('Europe/Kiev'));
$dt2 = new DateTime('2014-05-07 16:53', new DateTimeZone('UTC'));
echo
max($dt1,$dt2)->format(DateTime::RFC3339) . PHP_EOL; // 2014-05-07T16:53:00+00:00
echo min($dt1,$dt2)->format(DateTime::RFC3339) . PHP_EOL; // 2014-05-07T18:53:00+03:00
?>

It works at least 5.3.3-7+squeeze17
up
13
Alex Rath
14 years ago
Notice that whenever there is a Number in front of the String, it will be used for Comparison.

<?php

max
('7iuwmssuxue', 1); //returns 7iuwmssuxu
max('-7suidha', -4); //returns -4

?>

But just if it is in front of the String

<?php

max
('sdihatewin7wduiw', 3); //returns 3

?>
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16
costinu
12 years ago
max(null, 0) = null
max(0, null) = 0
up
7
johnphayes at gmail dot com
18 years ago
Regarding boolean parameters in min() and max():

(a) If any of your parameters is boolean, max and min will cast the rest of them to boolean to do the comparison.
(b) true > false
(c) However, max and min will return the actual parameter value that wins the comparison (not the cast).

Here's some test cases to illustrate:

1. max(true,100)=true
2. max(true,0)=true
3. max(100,true)=100
4. max(false,100)=100
5. max(100,false)=100
6. min(true,100)=true
7. min(true,0)=0
8. min(100,true)=100
9. min(false,100)=false
10. min(100,false)=false
11. min(true,false)=false
12. max(true,false)=true
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7
ries at vantwisk dot nl
16 years ago
I had several occasions that using max is a lot slower then using a if/then/else construct. Be sure to check this in your routines!

Ries
up
9
marcini
15 years ago
Note that max() can compare dates, so if you write something like this:

<?php
$dates
= array('2009-02-15', '2009-03-15');
echo
max($dates);
?>

you will get: 2009-03-15.
up
1
info at osworx dot net
6 years ago
Be aware if a array like this is used (e.g. values from a shopping cart):
<?php
Array
(
[
0] => 142,80
[1] => 39,27
[2] => 22,80
[3] => 175,80
)?>
The result will be: 39,27 and not - as expected - 175,80

So, to find the max value, use integer only like:
<?php
Array
(
[
0] => 14280
[1] => 3927
[2] => 2280
[3] => 17580
)?>
and you will get the correct result: 17580
up
0
blackmac01 at gmail dot com
5 years ago
In response to: keith at bifugi dot com

If you want to find the specific key(s) that match the maximum value in an array where the values may be duplicated, you can loop through and perform a simple check:
<?php

# Example Array
$a = array(
'key1' => 100,
'key2' => 90,
'key3' => 100,
'key4' => 90,
);

# First get the maximum value
$max = max($a);

# Create a new array containing all keys which have the max value
foreach($a as $key => $val) {
if(
$val === $max) $b[] = $key;
}

# If you want a string list, just do this
$b = implode(' ', $b);
?>

This produces consistent results and will scale well in terms of performance, whereas functions like array_search and array_flip can lead to degraded performance when dealing with large amounts of data.
up
1
michaelangel0 at mail.com
17 years ago
Matlab users and others may feel lonely without the double argument output from min and max functions.

To have the INDEX of the highest value in an array, as well as the value itself, use the following, or a derivative:

<?php
function doublemax($mylist){
$maxvalue=max($mylist);
while(list(
$key,$value)=each($mylist)){
if(
$value==$maxvalue)$maxindex=$key;
}
return array(
"m"=>$maxvalue,"i"=>$maxindex);
}
?>
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