Arr::prepend() Method in Laravel 11.x & Laravel 12.x

The `Arr::prepend()` method is a helper function provided by Laravel `Illuminate\Support\Arr` class that allows you to prepend an item to the beginning of an array.

Basic Usage

<?php
use Illuminate\Support\Arr;
$array = ['one', 'two', 'three'];
$result = Arr::prepend($array, 'zero');
// Result: ['zero', 'one', 'two', 'three']
?>

With Associative Arrays

When working with associative arrays, you can optionally specify a key for the prepended value:

<?php
$array = ['name' => 'John', 'age' => 30];
$result = Arr::prepend($array, 'Doe', 'last_name');
// Result:
// ['last_name' => 'Doe', 'name' => 'John', 'age' => 30]
?>

Key Features in Laravel 11.x & Laravel 12.x

1. Preservation of Keys: Numeric keys will be re-indexed, while string keys are preserved.
2. Non-destructive Operation: The original array remains unchanged (returns a new array).
3. Helper Function: Also available as the global `array_prepend()` helper function.

Edge Cases

<?php
// Prepending to an empty array
$result = Arr::prepend([], 'first');
// ['first']

// Prepending without a key (numeric index)
$result = Arr::prepend(['a' => 'apple'], 'orange');
// [0 => 'orange', 'a' => 'apple']
?>

This method is particularly useful when you need to add items to the beginning of an array while maintaining clean, readable code.