Re: RFC proposal for adding SORT_STRICT flag to array_unique()

Correct! Basically: - SORT_STRINGS: reliable and predictable when you understand the value will be converted to a string - SORT_NUMERIC: same but _risky_, you should be certain you're working with numbers - SORT_REGULAR: the sort is unstable and will inevitably cause a bug that no one will understand LOL With the proposed SORT_STRICT, we will get super fast, reliable and predictable deduplication. On Fri, Oct 24, 2025 at 3:16 PM Morgan <Weedpacket@varteg.nz> wrote: > On 2025-10-25 08:34, Jason Marble wrote: > > Hello everybody! > > > > > > The potential for a SORT_NATURAL flag also came to mind as > > another > > useful addition, but I believe SORT_STRICT is the more > > critical > > feature to discuss first. > > > > I know I find array_unique generally useless due to its insistence on > stringifying everything for comparison. > > ``` > $uniques = []; > foreach($source_array as $a) { > if(!in_array($a, $uniques, true)) { > $uniques[] = $a; > } > } > ``` > > I seem to recall part of the issue is that array_unique works by sorting > its elements so that "equal" values are adjacent. I know this would be > done on O(n log(n)) vs. O(n^2) grounds, but that could be addressed at > least in part by a smarter sort criterion that sorts by type/class (in > some arbitrary order) before sorting by value. For uncomparable types > (i.e., instances of most classes) this would be by object ID, because we > don't _actually_ care about ordering. >