PHP fnmatch() Function: Usage and Examples

Use fnmatch() when you need to checks whether a filename-like string matches a wildcard pattern in a PHP application. The examples below show the actual operation and its limitations.

What Is fnmatch() in PHP?

Checks whether a filename-like string matches a wildcard pattern. The exact signature supported by your installation depends on its PHP version and enabled extensions.

Its syntax is:

fnmatch(string $pattern, string $filename, int $flags = ...): bool

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

var_dump(fnmatch("*.txt", "notes.txt"));

Output:

bool(true)

Example 2: Different Input or Behavior

<?php

var_dump(fnmatch("report?.csv", "report2.csv"));

Output:

bool(true)

Practical Example: Applying the Function

<?php

$files = ["photo.jpg", "report.csv", "data.csv"]; foreach ($files as $file) { if (fnmatch("*.csv", $file)) echo $file . PHP_EOL; }

Output:

report.csv
data.csv

Important Behavior and Edge Cases

Wildcards are not regular expressions; slash and case behavior can depend on flags and platform.

Comparison With Related Functions

Common Beginner Mistakes

Key Takeaways

• Checks whether a filename-like string matches a wildcard pattern.
• Wildcards are not regular expressions; slash and case behavior can depend on flags and platform.
• preg_match() uses regular expressions; fnmatch() uses shell-style wildcard patterns.

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