PHP, both echo and print are used to display output,
When you start learning PHP, one of the most basic tasks you’ll perform is displaying information on a web page. Whether it’s showing text, HTML content, or variable values, PHP provides two primary constructs for output: echo and print.
At first glance, these two might seem identical — after all, both are used to display output on the screen. However, there are a few important differences between them that can affect your code’s performance, structure, and readability.
In this tutorial, we’ll dive deep into the differences, similarities, and best practices for using echo and print in PHP, along with practical examples and a comparison chart.
Both echo and print are language constructs in PHP. That means they are built directly into the PHP language, not actual functions. This allows them to execute faster and without parentheses.
Their main purpose is simple: to output data to the browser.
You can use either to display strings, variables, HTML tags, or even the result of expressions.
<?php
echo "Hello, World!";
print "Welcome to PHP!";
?>
Output:
Hello, World!
Welcome to PHP!
At this point, they look the same. But let’s uncover where they differ.
Let’s look at how the syntax of echo and print slightly varies.
echo expression1, expression2, expression3;
Can take multiple arguments separated by commas.
Parentheses are optional.
print(expression);
Can take only one argument.
Parentheses are also optional, but cannot use commas.
<?php
echo "PHP ", "is ", "awesome!"; // Works fine
print "PHP ", "is ", "awesome!"; // Error: print accepts only one argument
?>
Conclusion: Use echo if you want to print multiple items at once.
This is the main technical difference between echo and print.
echo does not return any value.
print returns 1, which means it can be used in expressions.
<?php
$result = print "Hello PHP!"; // Outputs "Hello PHP!"
echo $result; // Outputs 1
?>
Explanation:print outputs the string “Hello PHP!” and returns 1. That’s why echo displays the number 1 afterward.
This makes print useful in certain situations where you want to use output inside a condition or expression.
Because print returns a value, you can use it in conditional statements or ternary operations.
<?php
if (print "Checking print...") {
echo " Print returned true!";
}
?>
Output:
Checking print... Print returned true!
You cannot do this with echo, because it doesn’t return any value.
Conclusion:
Use print when you need an output statement that also returns a value.
A common question among developers is:
“Which one is faster — echo or print?”
In practice, both are almost identical in speed.
Technically, echo is a bit faster since it doesn’t return anything. But the difference is so small that it’s impossible to notice in real-world use.
If performance is your top concern, focus on optimizing your logic, database queries, or caching rather than worrying about echo vs print.
Even though echo and print are not functions, they can be used with parentheses — but with caution.
echo("Hello, World!");
print("Welcome to PHP!");
echo("Hello", "World"); // Error: multiple parameters cannot be used inside parentheses
Pro Tip:
If you’re passing multiple parameters to echo, don’t use parentheses.
Let’s look at some practical coding examples.
<?php
$name = "Suraj";
$language = "PHP";
echo "My name is $name and I love $language.";
?>
Output:
My name is Suraj and I love PHP.
<?php
$city = "Noida";
print "I live in $city.";
?>
Output:
I live in Noida.
<?php
echo "This ", "is ", "PHP ", "Tutorial!";
?>
Output:
This is PHP Tutorial!
Here, echo shines because it can handle multiple strings easily.
Let’s clear up a few myths that confuse beginners.
❌ Myth: echo and print are functions.
✅ Fact: They are language constructs.
❌ Myth: print is faster because it returns a value.
✅ Fact: echo is slightly faster, but the difference is negligible.
❌ Myth: Both can take multiple arguments.
✅ Fact: Only echo supports multiple arguments.
❌ Myth: You must always use parentheses.
✅ Fact: Parentheses are optional and often avoided.
| Feature | echo | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Language construct | Language construct |
| Returns value | No | Yes (returns 1) |
| Multiple parameters | Yes | No |
| Parentheses | Optional | Optional |
| Performance | Slightly faster | Slightly slower |
| Usage in expressions | No | Yes |
| Common use case | Output multiple strings | Conditional expressions |
In most PHP projects, developers prefer echo because:
It’s slightly faster.
It allows multiple outputs.
It’s simpler and cleaner for general output.
However, print is handy when:
You want to use the output inside an expression.
You need a simple one-value return mechanism.
Ultimately, the choice depends on your coding style and requirements.
Both are valid and interchangeable in almost all everyday PHP tasks.
Here are some quick tips to make your code cleaner and more efficient:
Use echo for general output tasks.
Use print only if you need to evaluate return values.
Keep syntax consistent across your project.
Avoid unnecessary parentheses.
Use echo with multiple parameters instead of concatenation for better readability.
Let’s summarize the key points quickly:
Echo and Print are PHP constructs for displaying output.
Echo supports multiple parameters; Print does not.
Print returns a value (1); Echo doesn’t.
Echo is marginally faster, but the performance gap is negligible.
Echo is better for general output; Print is better for expressions.
Both are powerful and simple, making them ideal for beginners to understand PHP’s basic output mechanism.
If you are learning PHP, don’t stress too much about which one to use. In real-world coding, the difference is mostly stylistic. Most modern developers prefer echo because it’s cleaner and more flexible.
That said, knowing why they differ will help you write better and more optimized PHP scripts. Mastering such small details makes you a more confident and efficient PHP programmer.
So the next time you write a PHP script, try using both and notice how they behave. Understanding these basics builds a strong foundation for learning advanced PHP concepts like forms, databases, and frameworks.
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