PHP | lstat( ) function

Last Updated : 14 Sep, 2021

The lstat() function in PHP is used to return information about a file or a symbolic link. It gathers statistics of the file which is sent as a parameter to the lstat() function. The function returns an array which includes information on following elements :

[0] or [dev] - Device number
[1] or [ino] - Inode number
[2] or [mode] - Inode protection mode
[3] or [nlink] - Number of links
[4] or [uid] - User ID of owner
[5] or [gid] - Group ID of owner
[6] or [rdev] - Inode device type
[7] or [size] - Size in bytes
[8] or [atime] - Last access (as Unix timestamp)
[9] or [mtime] - Last modified (as Unix timestamp)
[10] or [ctime] - Last inode change (as Unix timestamp)
[11] or [blksize] - Blocksize of filesystem IO (if supported)
[12] or [blocks] - Number of blocks allocated

Note:

This function is similar to stat(), except that if the file parameter is a symbolic link, the status of the symlink is return not the status of the file pointed to by the symlink.

Syntax:

lstat(file)

Parameters Used:
The lstat() function in PHP accepts one parameter.

file : It is a mandatory parameter which specifies the file.

Return Value:
It returns an array with the elements mentioned above.
Exceptions:

The results of the lstat() function differs from server to server.
The result of this function are cached and therefore the clearstatcache() function is used to clear the cache.
An E_WARNING is emitted on failure.

Example: 1

Input : print_r(lstat("gfg.txt"));

Output :
Array
(
[0] => 0
[1] => 0
[2] => 33206
[3] => 1
[4] => 0
[5] => 0
[6] => 0
[7] => 92
[8] => 1141633430
[9] => 1141298003
[10] => 1138609592
[11] => -1
[12] => -1
[dev] => 0
[ino] => 0
[mode] => 33206
[nlink] => 1
[uid] => 0
[gid] => 0
[rdev] => 0
[size] => 92
[atime] => 1141633430
[mtime] => 1141298003
[ctime] => 1138609592
[blksize] => -1
[blocks] => -1
)

Example: 2

Input : symlink('gfg.php', 'gfg');
        array_diff(stat('gfg'), lstat('gfg'));
Output :
Array
(
    [ino] => 97236376
    [mode] => 33188
    [size] => 34
    [atime] => 1223580003
    [mtime] => 1223581848
    [ctime] => 1223581848
    [blocks] => 8
)

Explanation: Difference of the results of stat() and lstat() function

Below programs illustrate the lstat() function.
Program 1

php

<?php 
// displaying information using lstat() function
print_r(lstat("gfg.txt"));
?>

Output:

Array
(
[0] => 0
[1] => 0
[2] => 33206
[3] => 1
[4] => 0
[5] => 0
[6] => 0
[7] => 92
[8] => 1141633430
[9] => 1141298003
[10] => 1138609592
[11] => -1
[12] => -1
[dev] => 0
[ino] => 0
[mode] => 33206
[nlink] => 1
[uid] => 0
[gid] => 0
[rdev] => 0
[size] => 92
[atime] => 1141633430
[mtime] => 1141298003
[ctime] => 1138609592
[blksize] => -1
[blocks] => -1
)

Program 2

php

<?php 

// creating a symbolic link
symlink('gfg.php', 'gfg');

// comparing information returned
//  by stat() and lstat() function
array_diff(stat('gfg'), lstat('gfg'));
?>

Output:

Array
(
    [ino] => 97236376
    [mode] => 33188
    [size] => 34
    [atime] => 1223580003
    [mtime] => 1223581848
    [ctime] => 1223581848
    [blocks] => 8
)

Program 3

php

<?php 
// displaying information of 
// zip file using lstat() function
$myfile = lstat("./gfg.zip");
echo($myfile);
?>

Output:

Array (
[0] => 2161 
[1] => 18351063 
[2] => 33188 
[3] => 1 
[4] => 1036 
[5] => 1036 
[6] => 0 
[7] => 270081 
[8] => 1382409024 
[9] => 1382409631 
[10] => 1382409631 
[11] => 4096 
[12] => 528
[dev] => 2161 
[ino] => 18351063 
[mode] => 33188 
[nlink] => 1 
[uid] => 1036 
[gid] => 1036 
[rdev] => 0 
[size] => 270081 
[atime] => 1382409024 
[mtime] => 1382409631 
[ctime] => 1382409631 
[blksize] => 4096 
[blocks] => 528 )

Related Article: PHP | stat( ) function
Reference:
http://php.net/manual/en/function.lstat.php