PHP Array to JSON Array using json_encode();

If the array keys in your PHP array are not consecutive numbers, json_encode() must make the other construct an object since JavaScript arrays are always consecutively numerically indexed.

Use array_values() on the outer structure in PHP to discard the original array keys and replace them with zero-based consecutive numbering:

Example:

// Non-consecutive 3number keys are OK for PHP
// but not for a JavaScript array
$array = array(
  2 => array("Afghanistan", 32, 13),
  4 => array("Albania", 32, 12)
);

// array_values() removes the original keys and replaces
// with plain consecutive numbers
$out = array_values($array);
json_encode($out);
// [["Afghanistan", 32, 13], ["Albania", 32, 12]]

json_encode() function will help you to encode array to JSON in php.

if you will use just json_encode function directly without any specific option, it will return an array. Like mention above question

$array = array(
  2 => array("Afghanistan",32,13),
  4 => array("Albania",32,12)
);
$out = array_values($array);
json_encode($out);
// [["Afghanistan",32,13],["Albania",32,12]]

Since you are trying to convert Array to JSON, Then I would suggest to use JSON_FORCE_OBJECT as additional option(parameters) in json_encode, Like below

<?php
$array=['apple','orange','banana','strawberry'];
echo json_encode($array, JSON_FORCE_OBJECT);
// {"0":"apple","1":"orange","2":"banana","3":"strawberry"} 
?>