Values are returned by using the optional return statement. Any
type may be returned, including arrays and objects. This causes the
function to end its execution immediately and pass control back to
the line from which it was called. See return()
for more information.
A function can not return multiple values, but similar results can be
obtained by returning an array.
Example #2 Returning an array to get multiple values
<?php function small_numbers() { return array (0, 1, 2); } list ($zero, $one, $two) = small_numbers(); ?>
To return a reference from a function, use the reference operator & in
both the function declaration and when assigning the returned value to a
variable:
Example #3 Returning a reference from a function
<?php function &returns_reference() { return $someref; }