How to convert a PHP array to a JSON array

Question

I am trying to convert my PHP array that i get as a query result to a JSON array. But look like it does not work. Any help would be appriciated.

 $stmt = $db->prepare("SELECT * FROM companies WHERE companyID = ?");
 if($stmt == "false"){
 die('Query error !'.$db->error); 
 }
 $stmt->bind_param('i', $companyID);
 $stmt->execute();
 $result = $stmt -> get_result();
 $companies = $result ->fetch_all(MYSQLI_BOTH);
 echo json_encode(array('companies' => $companies));

• John Conde: How does it not work? What is the result of your current code? What do you expect it to look like?
• Tartar: I expect a JSON array but there is no JSON array
• njzk2: But look like it does not work. please be even less specific if possible
• Quentin: Does $result ->fetch_all actually give you an array or just something array-like?
• Jay Blanchard: What is the result of echo json_encode(array('companies' => $companies));?

Answer 1

It looks like what you're experiencing is JSON itself. There is an existing, excellent answer here that will explain that. The summary is that an array with string keys in PHP is an object in JSON, since arrays can only have numeric indexes.

I hope this answers your question directly enough, and I think it will change how you think of the relationship between PHP and JSON.