How to get random value out of an array?

Another approach through flipping array to get direct value.

Snippet

$array = [ 'Name1' => 'John', 'Name2' => 'Jane', 'Name3' => 'Jonny' ];
$val = array_rand(array_flip($array));

array_rand return key not value. So, we're flipping value as key.

Note: PHP key alway be an unique key, so when array is flipped, duplicate value as a key will be overwritten.

On-liner:

echo $array[array_rand($array,1)]

In my case, I have to get 2 values what are objects. I share this simple solution.

$ran = array("a","b","c","d");
$ranval = array_map(function($i) use($ran){return $ran[$i];},array_rand($ran,2));

One line: $ran[rand(0, count($ran) - 1)]

I needed one line version for short array:

($array = [1, 2, 3, 4])[mt_rand(0, count($array) - 1)]

or if array is fixed:

[1, 2, 3, 4][mt_rand(0, 3]

This will work nicely with in-line arrays. Plus, I think things are tidier and more reusable when wrapped up in a function.

function array_rand_value($a) {
    return $a[array_rand($a)];
}

Usage:

array_rand_value(array("a", "b", "c", "d"));

On PHP < 7.1.0, array_rand() uses rand(), so you wouldn't want to this function for anything related to security or cryptography. On PHP 7.1.0+, use this function without concern since rand() has been aliased to mt_rand().

A simple way to getting Randdom value form Array.

$color_array =["red","green","blue","light_orange"];
$color_array[rand(0,3)

now every time you will get different colors from Array.

Get random values from an array.

function random($array)
{
    /// Determine array is associative or not
    $keys = array_keys($array);
    $givenArrIsAssoc = array_keys($keys) !== $keys;

    /// if array is not associative then return random element
    if(!$givenArrIsAssoc){
        return $array[array_rand($array)];
    }

    /// If array is associative then 
    $keys = array_rand($array, $number);
    $results = [];
    foreach ((array) $keys as $key) {
        $results[] = $array[$key];
    }
    return $results;
}

mt_srand usage example

if one needs to pick a random row from a text but same all the time based on something

$rows = array_map('trim', explode("\n", $text));
mt_srand($item_id);
$row = $rows[rand(0, count($rows ) - 1)];