Why does include use quotes instead of brackets?

PHP
1

A statement to include a file looks like this:

include 'file_to_include.php';

Why is it not like this?

include(file_to_include.php);

Thanks!

2

You mean “parentheses”

Any way, parentheses are used for functions. include (and a few other things) are -not- functions, as you yourself said, they’re “statements”.

So you don’t need to use the parenthess. Many do use them, which adds to the misconception many have. But that’s the lowdown.

3

An include is a language construct, which is why the parentheses is optional.

On a side note, when you include a file without a full path name, add ./ in front of the name, to avoid PHP first checking any include folders setup in the ini file.

Example:

include './file_to_include.php'; 
include('./file_to_include.php');

You can check out the other language constructs PHP has here:
http://www.php.net/manual/en/reserved.keywords.php

Yes, he said so in the title :wink: Joke aside, he is from Ireland and they normally say brackets and not parentheses there (UK, Australia and perhaps other countries as well).

4

Thanks for the much better explanation @TheRedDevil;

I can overlook the brackets vs. parentheses thing seeing as I should have said language construct but said statement :shifty:

5

Thanks Mittineague and TheRedDevil for the helpful explanations and links.

Yes we do, sorry for the confusion :slight_smile: