PHP quotemeta() Function

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The quotemeta() function is an inbuilt function in PHP which accepts a string as an argument and returns a string which has backslashes added in front of some predefined characters in a string.

The predefined characters are:

period (.)
backslash (\)
plus sign (+)
asterisk (*)
question mark (?)
brackets ([])
caret (^)
dollar sign ($)
parenthesis (())

Syntax:

 quotemeta($string)

Parameter: This function accepts only one parameter $string which is mandatory. This parameter specifies the string in which we want to add backslashes in front of the above mentioned predefined characters.

Return Value: It returns a string by adding backslashes in front of the predefined characters in the $string argument.

Examples:

Input:  $str = "geek$ for zambiatek?"
Output: geek\$ for zambiatek\?

Input: $str = "+geek* for zambiatek."
Output: \+geek\* for zambiatek\.

Below programs illustrate the quotemeta() function in PHP:

Program 1: When string has ‘?’ and ‘$’ predefined characters

<?php 
// PHP program to demonstrate the  
// working of quotemeta() function  
  
$str = "geek$ for zambiatek?"; 
  
// prints the string by adding backslashes  
// in front of the predefined characters 
// '$' and '?' 
echo(quotemeta($str)); 
?> 

Output:

geek\$ for zambiatek\?

Program 2: When string has ‘*’, ‘.’ and ‘+’ predefined characters

<?php 
// PHP program to demonstrate the  
// working of quotemeta() function  
  
$str = "+geek* for zambiatek."; 
  
// prints the string by adding backslashes  
// in front of the predefined characters 
echo(quotemeta($str)); 
?> 

Output:

\+geek\* for zambiatek\.

Program 3: When string has brackets and parenthesis as predefined characters.

<?php 
// PHP program to demonstrate the  
// working of quotemeta() function  
  
$str = "[]geek for zambiatek()"; 
  
// prints the string by adding backslashes  
// in front of the predefined characters 
// brackets and parenthesis 
echo(quotemeta($str)); 
?> 

Output:

\[\]geek for zambiatek\(\)

Program 4: When string has caret (^) as predefined character.

<?php 
// PHP program to demonstrate the  
// working of quotemeta() function  
  
$str = "2 ^ 2 = 4"; 
  
// prints the string by adding backslashes  
// in front of the predefined characters 
// caret (^) 
echo(quotemeta($str)); 
?> 