PHP fputs() Function: Usage and Examples

Use fputs() when you need to writes bytes to a stream and is an alias of fwrite() in a PHP application. The examples below show the actual operation and its limitations.

What Is fputs() in PHP?

Writes bytes to a stream and is an alias of fwrite(). The exact signature supported by your installation depends on its PHP version and enabled extensions.

Its syntax is:

fputs($stream, string $data, ?int $length = ...): int|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

$stream = fopen("php://temp","w+"); fputs($stream,"Hello"); rewind($stream); echo stream_get_contents($stream); fclose($stream);

Output:

Hello

Example 2: Different Input or Behavior

<?php

$stream = fopen("php://temp","w+"); echo fputs($stream,"ABCDE",3); fclose($stream);

Output:

3

Practical Example: Applying the Function

<?php

$stream = fopen("php://temp","w+"); foreach (["one","two"] as $line) fputs($stream,$line."
"); rewind($stream); echo stream_get_contents($stream); fclose($stream);

Output:

one
two

Important Behavior and Edge Cases

A write can be partial; check the number of bytes written, especially with network streams.

Comparison With Related Functions

Common Beginner Mistakes

Key Takeaways

• Writes bytes to a stream and is an alias of fwrite().
• A write can be partial; check the number of bytes written, especially with network streams.
• fwrite() is exactly the same operation; fputs() is its alias.

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