PHP min and max: Smallest and Largest Value

min() finds the smallest value and max() finds the largest.

index.php

PHP

1
2
3

<?php
echo min(4, 9, 2) . "\n";
echo max(4, 9, 2);

Output

OUTPUT

1
2

2
9

With an array

Pass an array to compare all its items.

index.php

PHP

<?php
$scores = [72, 95, 88, 61];

echo "Lowest: " . min($scores) . "\n";
echo "Highest: " . max($scores);

Output

OUTPUT

1
2

Lowest: 61
Highest: 95

Empty arrays throw an error

max([]) and min([]) throw a ValueError. Check first.

index.php

PHP

<?php
$scores = [];

if ($scores !== []) {
    echo max($scores);
} else {
    echo "No scores yet";
}

Output

OUTPUT

No scores yet

Keep a value inside a range (clamping)

Combine min() and max() to force a value into limits. For example, a quantity between 1 and 10.

index.php

PHP

<?php
function clamp(int $value, int $low, int $high): int
{
    return max($low, min($high, $value));
}

echo clamp(15, 1, 10) . "\n";
echo clamp(-3, 1, 10) . "\n";
echo clamp(5, 1, 10);

Output

OUTPUT

1
2
3

10
1
5

Sum, product and average

index.php

PHP

<?php
$prices = [120, 80, 100];

echo array_sum($prices) . "\n";
echo array_product([2, 3, 4]) . "\n";
echo array_sum($prices) / count($prices);

Output

OUTPUT

1
2
3

300
24
100

Strings and mixed values

max() can compare strings too, but mixing types gives rules that are hard to remember. Compare values of the same type.

Find the item that has the highest value

index.php

PHP

<?php
$products = [
    ["name" => "Pen", "price" => 12],
    ["name" => "Bag", "price" => 799],
    ["name" => "Book", "price" => 250],
];

$prices = array_column($products, "price");
$mostExpensive = max($prices);

echo "Highest price: $mostExpensive";

Output

OUTPUT

Highest price: 799

lightbulb

Empty array = error

Whenever the list can be empty (search results, filtered items), test it before calling min(), max() or dividing by count().