return

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

    return returns program control to the calling module. Execution resumes at the expression following the called module's invocation.

    If called from within a function, the return statement immediately ends execution of the current function, and returns its argument as the value of the function call. return also ends the execution of an eval() statement or script file.

    If called from the global scope, then execution of the current script file is ended. If the current script file was included or required, then control is passed back to the calling file. Furthermore, if the current script file was included, then the value given to return will be returned as the value of the include call. If return is called from within the main script file, then script execution ends. If the current script file was named by the auto_prepend_file or auto_append_file configuration options in php.ini, then that script file's execution is ended.

    For more information, see Returning values.

    Note: Note that since return is a language construct and not a function, the parentheses surrounding its argument are not required and their use is discouraged.

    Note: If no parameter is supplied, then the parentheses must be omitted and null will be returned. Calling return with parentheses but with no arguments will result in a parse error.

    As of PHP 7.1.0, return statements without an argument in functions which declare a return type trigger E_COMPILE_ERROR, unless the return type is void, in which case return statements with an argument trigger that error.

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    User Contributed Notes 2 notes

    up
    182
    warhog at warhog dot net
    18 years ago
    for those of you who think that using return in a script is the same as using exit note that: using return just exits the execution of the current script, exit the whole execution.

    look at that example:

    a.php
    <?php
    include("b.php");
    echo     "a";
    ?>

    b.php
    <?php
    echo "b";
    return;
    ?>

    (executing a.php:) will echo "ba".

    whereas (b.php modified):

    a.php
    <?php
    include("b.php");
    echo     "a";
    ?>

    b.php
    <?php
    echo "b";
    exit;
    ?>

    (executing a.php:) will echo "b".
    up
    79
    J.D. Grimes
    11 years ago
    Note that because PHP processes the file before running it, any functions defined in an included file will still be available, even if the file is not executed.

    Example:

    a.php
    <?php
    include 'b.php';

    foo();
    ?>

    b.php
    <?php
    return;

    function     foo() {
    echo     'foo';
    }
    ?>

    Executing a.php will output "foo".
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