PHP elseif Statement

When there are more than two possibilities, chain extra conditions with elseif.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

<?php
$score = 72;

if ($score >= 90) {
    echo "Grade A";
} elseif ($score >= 75) {
    echo "Grade B";
} elseif ($score >= 60) {
    echo "Grade C";
} else {
    echo "Fail";
}

1

Grade C

How it runs

PHP checks the conditions from top to bottom and runs the first block whose condition is true. It then skips the rest.

For a score of 72:

1. 72 >= 90? No.
2. 72 >= 75? No.
3. 72 >= 60? Yes, so print Grade C and stop.

Order matters

Because the chain stops at the first match, put the strictest condition first. This version is wrong:

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

<?php
$score = 95;

if ($score >= 60) {
    echo "Grade C";
} elseif ($score >= 90) {
    echo "Grade A";
}

1

Grade C

A score of 95 matches the first condition, so the elseif never runs.

else is optional

The last else catches everything that did not match. Leave it out if you do not need it.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

<?php
$temperature = 38;

if ($temperature >= 40) {
    echo "Very hot";
} elseif ($temperature >= 30) {
    echo "Hot";
} elseif ($temperature >= 20) {
    echo "Pleasant";
}

1

Hot

elseif vs else if

elseif (one word) and else if (two words) work the same with braces. In the alternative syntax (if: ... endif;), you must use the one-word elseif.

When the chain gets long

If you compare one value against many fixed options, a match expression is shorter than a long elseif chain.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

<?php
$order = 750;

if ($order >= 1000) {
    $shipping = 0;
} elseif ($order >= 500) {
    $shipping = 30;
} else {
    $shipping = 60;
}

echo "Shipping: $shipping";

1

Shipping: 30