PHP inet_pton() Function: Usage and Examples

Use inet_pton() when you need to converts a readable IPv4 or IPv6 address into packed binary bytes in a PHP application. The examples below show the actual operation and its limitations.

What Is inet_pton() in PHP?

Converts a readable IPv4 or IPv6 address into packed binary bytes. The exact signature supported by your installation depends on its PHP version and enabled extensions.

Its syntax is:

inet_pton(string $ip): string|false

Parameters and return value: The parameter types, optional arguments, references, and return type are shown in the signature above. Optional parameters are marked with an ellipsis in this reference signature.

Example 1: Basic Usage

<?php

echo bin2hex(inet_pton("127.0.0.1"));

Output:

7f000001

Example 2: Different Input or Behavior

<?php

echo strlen(inet_pton("2001:db8::1"));

Output:

16

Practical Example: Applying the Function

<?php

$submittedAddress = "192.0.2.10"; $binaryAddress = inet_pton($submittedAddress); echo $binaryAddress === false ? "Invalid" : "Valid IP";

Output:

Valid IP

Important Behavior and Edge Cases

Returns false for invalid IP text; binary output should not be printed directly in HTML.

Comparison With Related Functions

Common Beginner Mistakes

Key Takeaways

• Converts a readable IPv4 or IPv6 address into packed binary bytes.
• Returns false for invalid IP text; binary output should not be printed directly in HTML.
• inet_ntop() converts packed binary IP data back to human-readable text.

Use inet_pton() for the specific operation demonstrated above. Check its prerequisites and handle failure conditions before using it with production data.