note 69611 modified in language.variables.scope by danbrown

Using the global keyword inside a function to define a variable is essentially the same as passing the variable by reference as a parameter: <?php somefunction(){ global $var; } ?> is the same as: <?php somefunction(& $a) { } ?> The advantage to using the keyword is if you have a long list of variables needed by the function - you dont have to pass them every time you call the function. --was-- Using the global keyword inside a function to define a variable is essentially the same as passing the variable by reference as a parameter: somefunction(){ global $var; } is the same as: somefunction(& $a) { } The advantage to using the keyword is if you have a long list of variables needed by the function - you dont have to pass them every time you call the function. http://php.net/manual/en/language.variables.scope.php