In PHP, working with numeric data types is a common task, and sometimes you might need to convert an integer (int) to a double (float). In this article, we will explore various approaches to achieve this conversion in PHP, covering different methods based on the PHP version and use cases.

Method 1: Using Type Casting

One basic way to convert an integer to a double is by using type casting. PHP allows you to explicitly cast a variable to a different type using the (float) or (double) cast.

Integer: 42, Double: 42

Method 2: Using floatval() Function

The floatval() function is designed to explicitly convert a variable to a float. It is a concise and readable alternative to type casting.

Integer: 42, Double: 42

Method 3: Implicit Conversion

In PHP, operations involving integers and floating-point numbers often result in implicit conversion. When an integer is used in a context where a floating-point number is expected, PHP automatically performs the conversion.

Integer: 42, Double: 42

Method 4: Using settype() Function

The settype() function in PHP allows you to set the type of a variable explicitly. While less common, it is another approach to convert an integer to a double.

Double: 42