Difference between row_array and result_array

Question

What is the difference between row_array() and result_array()?

How would they be displayed on a view page?

if ($variable) {
    return $result->row_array();
} else {
    return $result->result_array();
}

Answer 1

From the documentation, row_array returns a single result and result_array returns multiple results (usually for use in a loop).

Examples from the documentation:

Result_array:

$query = $this->db->query("YOUR QUERY");

foreach ($query->result_array() as $row)
{
   echo $row['title'];
   echo $row['name'];
   echo $row['body'];
}

Row_array:

$query = $this->db->query("YOUR QUERY");

if ($query->num_rows() > 0)
{
   $row = $query->row_array(); 

   echo $row['title'];
   echo $row['name'];
   echo $row['body'];
}

Answer 2

1. result_array()

   Returns the query result as a pure array. Typically you’ll use this in a foreach loop.

2. row_array()

   Returns a single result row. If your query has more than one row, it returns only the first row.
   Identical to the row() method, except it returns an array.