Json_Encode PHP Array as Json Array Not Json Object

PHP Array to JSON Array using json_encode();

If the array keys in your PHP array are not consecutive numbers, json_encode() must make the other construct an object since JavaScript arrays are always consecutively numerically indexed.

Use array_values() on the outer structure in PHP to discard the original array keys and replace them with zero-based consecutive numbering:

Example:

// Non-consecutive 3number keys are OK for PHP
// but not for a JavaScript array
$array = array(
  2 => array("Afghanistan", 32, 13),
  4 => array("Albania", 32, 12)
);

// array_values() removes the original keys and replaces
// with plain consecutive numbers
$out = array_values($array);
json_encode($out);
// [["Afghanistan", 32, 13], ["Albania", 32, 12]]

json_encode PHP array as JSON array not JSON object

See Arrays in RFC 8259 The JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) Data Interchange Format:

An array structure is represented as square brackets surrounding zero
or more values (or elements). Elements are separated by commas.
array = begin-array [ value *( value-separator value ) ] end-array

You are observing this behaviour because your array is not sequential - it has keys 0 and 2, but doesn't have 1 as a key.

Just having numeric indexes isn't enough. json_encode will only encode your PHP array as a JSON array if your PHP array is sequential - that is, if its keys are 0, 1, 2, 3, ...

You can reindex your array sequentially using the array_values function to get the behaviour you want. For example, the code below works successfully in your use case:

echo json_encode(array_values($input)).

PHP array not converting to JSON using json_encode

If json_last_error gives you the JSON_ERROR_UTF8 error code (5), then you will have to encode your datas in UTF-8 :

Need to convert final array to utf-8.

<?php

$response = array_map('utf8_encode', $response);

getting json object instead of json array in php

You need to do it like this:-

 $response = array();  
 //$response['images'] = array();  not needed

 //traversing through all the rows 
 while($row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($result)){ //since you are using name indexes so use _assoc()
   $temp = array(); 
   $temp['url']=$row['url'];
   $temp['name']=$row['name'];
   $response[] =$temp;
 }

 //displaying the response 
 echo json_encode($response);

Encode PHP array with non-numeric keys to JSON array

You can use array_values:

echo json_encode(array_values($a));

PHP/json_encode: dealing with mixed arrays and objects with numeric properties

Was able to find a solution by using stdClass instead of an associative array when decoding the original JSON via json_decode($json, false);. Then when json_encodeing the resulting stdClass the keys will be preserved.

Here's a full example:

<?php

$json = <<<JSON
{
  "someList": [
    "item A",
    "item B"
  ],
  "ratings": {
    "0": 0.001234,
    "1": 0.0666,
    "2": 0.09876,
    "3": 0.777777
  }
}
JSON;

// Passing false for the second param (or omitting it)
// returns a stdClass instead of associative array
$data = json_decode($json, false);

echo json_encode($data, JSON_PRETTY_PRINT);

Which outputs:

{
    "someList": [
        "item A",
        "item B"
    ],
    "ratings": {
        "0": 0.001234,
        "1": 0.0666,
        "2": 0.09876,
        "3": 0.777777
    }
}

Encode array to JSON string without array indexes

You want PHP's array_values() function:

$json_out = json_encode(array_values($your_array_here));