Returns PDO driver names available to the running PHP process.
The objective is to understand the behavior and operational limits, not only the method name.
What It Does
Returns PDO driver names available to the running PHP process.
Syntax and Return Value
pdo_drivers(...)The return value and exceptional cases depend on the call described here: The list can be empty even when the PDO base extension is installed.
Example 1: Basic Use
pdo_drivers() returns only installed PDO-specific drivers, not drivers installable on the server.
<?php
echo json_encode(pdo_drivers());Example 2: A Second Scenario
pdo_drivers() returns only installed PDO-specific drivers, not drivers installable on the server. This additional check distinguishes the method's result from connection or statement state.
<?php
echo json_encode(pdo_drivers());
echo count(pdo_drivers());Example 3: Practical Checks
pdo_drivers() returns only installed PDO-specific drivers, not drivers installable on the server. This additional check distinguishes the method's result from connection or statement state.
<?php
echo json_encode(pdo_drivers());
echo in_array("mysql", pdo_drivers(), true) ? "MySQL PDO installed" : "MySQL PDO absent";Important Behavior and Edge Cases
The list can be empty even when the PDO base extension is installed.
For production use, also account for error handling, data validation, resource limits and environment-specific driver behavior.
Comparison with Related Approaches
| Approach | Important distinction |
|---|---|
| pdo_drivers | Returns PDO driver names available to the running PHP process. |
| Related API / pattern | PDO::getAvailableDrivers provides the equivalent static method. |
Common Beginner Mistakes
| Mistake | Correct approach |
|---|---|
| Assuming the happy path covers edge cases | The list can be empty even when the PDO base extension is installed. |
| Using a related API interchangeably | PDO::getAvailableDrivers provides the equivalent static method. |
Key Takeaways
- Returns PDO driver names available to the running PHP process.
- The list can be empty even when the PDO base extension is installed.
- PDO::getAvailableDrivers provides the equivalent static method.
Choose this API or pattern when its exact semantics match your task, and verify the result against the database driver and runtime used by your application.