How to check if a string contains text in PHP

Written by
Benjamin Crozat

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Introduction

If you are on PHP 8.0 or later, use str_contains() to check whether one string contains another.

if (str_contains('Laravel Forge', 'Forge')) {
}

That is the clearest answer for modern PHP.

If you are on an older version, the fallback is strpos() with a strict comparison:

if (strpos('Laravel Forge', 'Forge') !== false) {
}

The strict comparison matters because strpos() returns 0 when the match starts at the beginning of the string, and 0 is easy to mistake for false.

The best way to check if a string contains something in PHP

PHP 8.0 and later: str_contains()

PHP 8.0 introduced str_contains(), which returns a plain boolean.

var_dump(str_contains('Laravel Forge', 'Forge'));
var_dump(str_contains('Laravel Forge', 'forge'));

That is why it is the best default now: the intent is obvious, and there is no 0 !== false edge case to remember.

Older PHP: strpos() !== false

If you are supporting PHP 7 or older code, use strpos() with a strict comparison:

var_dump(strpos('Laravel Forge', 'Lar'));
var_dump(strpos('Laravel Forge', 'Forge'));
var_dump(strpos('Laravel Forge', 'nope'));

This is the safe version:

if (strpos('Laravel Forge', 'Lar') !== false) {
}

This is the buggy version:

if (strpos('Laravel Forge', 'Lar')) {
}

The second example fails because strpos() returns 0, and plain if (0) is falsy.

str_contains() vs strpos()

Here is the practical difference:

Function	PHP version	Return value	Best use
str_contains()	PHP 8.0+	true or false	modern contains checks
strpos()	all supported PHP versions	position or false	older PHP or when you need the index

If you only need a yes/no answer, str_contains() is clearer.

If you also need the position of the match, strpos() is still the right tool.

$position = strpos('Laravel Forge', 'Forge');
if ($position !== false) {
    echo $position;
}

Case-sensitive vs case-insensitive checks

str_contains() is case-sensitive:

var_dump(str_contains('Laravel Forge', 'forge'));

If you need a case-insensitive contains check, stripos() is the straightforward option:

var_dump(stripos('Laravel Forge', 'forge') !== false);
var_dump(stripos('Laravel Forge', 'LAR') !== false);

Use stripos() !== false with the same strict comparison rule as strpos().

Practical examples

Check whether a URL contains a path segment

$path = '/docs/laravel/forge';
if (str_contains($path, '/forge')) {
    echo 'Forge docs';
}

If you are working with raw request paths, this parse_url() guide covers the safer way to pull the path out first.

Check for a tag or keyword in free text

$text = 'Laravel Forge makes server provisioning easier.';
if (str_contains($text, 'Forge')) {
    echo 'Mentioned';
}

Check the start of a string on older PHP

This is the classic strpos() trap:

$text = 'Laravel Forge';
var_dump(strpos($text, 'Laravel') !== false);

If you forget the strict comparison, that same check can fail because the match starts at position 0.

Important edge cases

An empty needle matches every string

This surprises people the first time they see it:

var_dump(str_contains('Laravel Forge', ''));

An empty string is considered to be contained in every string, including another empty string.

If an empty search term should count as invalid input in your app, validate it before checking.

strpos() can return 0

This is worth repeating because it causes so many bugs:

var_dump(strpos('Laravel Forge', 'Lar'));

0 means “found at the beginning,” not “not found.”

Case-insensitive checks need a different function

There is no built-in str_icontains() in PHP. For a case-insensitive contains check, use stripos() !== false.

What if you need to split or replace instead?

Contains checks are often just the first step.

• If you need to split a string once the separator is found, use explode().
• If you need to replace part of the string, use str_replace().

That keeps each function doing one clear job.

Conclusion

For modern PHP, the answer is simple: use str_contains() when you want a true-or-false contains check. Use strpos() !== false only when you need to support older PHP or when the match position itself matters.

If you are still shaping strings after that, these are the next reads I would keep open:

• Replace part of a string without reaching for regex
• Split strings into arrays when a separator matters
• Join array values back into one string cleanly

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