codeigniter, result() vs. result_array()

Question

I use both result() and result_array().

Usually i like to get my result as array thats why i use result_array() mostly..

But i want to know which is the better approach that i should follow, Which one of them is more efficient to use in regards to performance?

Here is the Example i am talking about in codeigniter queries

$query = $this->db->get(); $result = $query->result_array(); 

or is this should be the better approach??

$query = $this->db->get(); $result = $query->result(); 

also right now i am using result_array in my generic model.

Answer 1

Result has an optional $type parameter which decides what type of result is returned. By default ($type = "object"), it returns an object (result_object()). It can be set to "array", then it will return an array of result, that being equivalent of caling result_array(). The third version accepts a custom class to use as a result object.

The code from CodeIgniter:

/** * Query result. Acts as a wrapper function for the following functions. * * @param string $type 'object', 'array' or a custom class name * @return array */ public function result($type = 'object') {     if ($type === 'array')     {         return $this->result_array();     }     elseif ($type === 'object')     {         return $this->result_object();     }     else     {         return $this->custom_result_object($type);     } } 

Arrays are technically faster, but they are not objects. It depends where do you want to use the result. Most of the time, arrays are sufficient.

Answer 2

for the sake of reference:

// $query->result_object() === $query->result() // returns: Array ( [0] => stdClass Object ( [col_A] => val_1A , [col_B] => val_1B , ... )          [0] => stdClass Object ( [col_A] => val_2A , [col_B] => val_2B , ... )          ...         )   // $query->result_array() !== $query->result() // returns: Array ( [0] => Array ( [col_A] => val_1A , [col_B] => val_1B , ... )          [1] => Array ( [col_A] => val_2A , [col_B] => val_2B , ... )         ...        )  

codeigniter docs for result(), and result_array()