To convert a SimpleXML object to a PHP array, use JSON as an intermediate format with json_encode() and json_decode(), handle XML attributes separately using SimpleXMLElement::attributes(), or build a custom recursive function for complex structures. 1) The json_encode() and json_decode() method converts the SimpleXML object into a JSON string and then decodes it into an array, but it omits attributes. 2) To preserve attributes, extract them manually using attributes() and integrate them into the array structure. 3) For deeply nested XML, a recursive function can traverse each node and construct a full associative array, offering greater control. Be mindful of edge cases such as empty nodes, repeated child elements, and namespaces, which may require special handling to ensure accurate conversion.
Sometimes you need to work with XML data in PHP, and SimpleXML is a handy tool for parsing and accessing XML content. However, if you want to manipulate that data more flexibly—like passing it to JavaScript or saving it to a database—you might find it easier to convert the SimpleXML object into a regular PHP array.

Here’s how to do it effectively.

Use json_encode()
and json_decode()
One of the most common ways to convert a SimpleXML object to an array is by using JSON as an intermediate format. This method is clean and doesn't require writing a lot of custom code.
Here's how:

- Convert the SimpleXML object to a JSON string using
json_encode()
. - Then decode that JSON string back into a PHP array using
json_decode()
with the second parameter set totrue
.
Example:
$xml = simplexml_load_string($xmlString); $array = json_decode(json_encode($xml), true);
This works well for most basic XML structures. Just be aware that attributes will get lost unless they’re explicitly handled.
Handle XML Attributes Separately
If your XML includes attributes and you want to preserve them in the array, you’ll need to extract them manually before converting.
You can use SimpleXMLElement::attributes()
to access attribute values.
For example:
foreach ($xml->children() as $element) { $attributes = $element->attributes(); // Do something with attributes }
Then include those in your array structure during manual building. The json_encode
trick ignores attributes, so this extra step is needed when working with attribute-rich XML.
Build a Custom Recursive Function (for complex XML)
For deeply nested or irregular XML structures, you may need a recursive function to walk through each node and build a full associative array.
Here’s a basic version of such a function:
function xmlToArray($xml) { $array = json_decode(json_encode($xml), true); // If it's a single element with no children, return the value directly if (is_scalar($array)) { return (string)$xml; } // Process children recursively foreach ($array as $key => $value) { if (is_array($value)) { $array[$key] = xmlToArray($xml->$key); } } return $array; }
This isn’t perfect for every case but gives you more control. You can tweak it based on your specific XML structure.
Be Aware of Edge Cases
- Empty nodes may show up as empty strings or nulls.
- Multiple child elements with the same name are turned into numeric arrays automatically.
-
Namespaces can cause issues — if your XML uses them, make sure to handle them properly using
children()
with the namespace URI.
These quirks can trip you up if you're not expecting them, especially when dealing with third-party XML feeds.
That’s basically how you convert a SimpleXML object to a PHP array. It’s not too hard, but there are enough gotchas to keep you on your toes.
The above is the detailed content of how to convert a simplexml object to a php array. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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