PHP floatval() Function
Quick summary: The PHP floatval() function converts a value to a floating-point number.
PHP floatval() Syntax
floatval(mixed $value): floatPHP
PHP floatval() Basic examples
var_dump(floatval("3.14"));PHP
Output:
float(3.14)Converts a numeric string to a float.
var_dump(floatval(5));PHP
Output:
float(5)Integers are converted to floats.
PHP floatval() Real-world usage
$price = "9.99";
$price = floatval($price);
var_dump($price);PHP
Output:
float(9.99)Normalizes numeric input for calculations.
PHP floatval() Edge cases
var_dump(floatval("abc"));PHP
Output:
float(0)Non-numeric strings convert to 0.
PHP floatval() Common mistakes
Assuming floatval validates input
floatval does not validate numeric correctness.
Incorrect
floatval("abc");Correct
is_numeric($v) ? floatval($v) : null;Validate before casting.
PHP floatval() Frequently Asked Questions
What does floatval() do?
Converts a variable to float.
Alias of floatval()?
(float) cast.
Use case?
Numeric conversions.
Handles strings?
Yes, parses numeric part.
Common mistake?
Expecting strict parsing.
Return type?
float.
Handles null?
Returns 0.
Safe?
Yes.
Locale aware?
No.
Alternative?
(float).
Best practice?
Validate input first.
Used in forms?
Yes.