Convert INI to PHP Array Online - Free, Local & Instant
Instant INI (.ini) to PHP Array (.php) converter. 100% client-side processing in your browser RAM — zero file uploads, full privacy, drag & drop or paste raw text.
Technical Comparison: INI vs PHP Array
Data & Dev Config| Specification | INI (Source) | PHP Array (Target) |
|---|---|---|
| Full Specification | Initialization Configuration File (.ini / .cfg) | PHP Short-Syntax Associative Array Literal |
| File Extension & MIME | .ini (text/plain) | .php (text/plain) |
| Data Typing Model | Key = Value properties grouped by [section] headers | Associative & indexed arrays with => fat-arrow syntax |
| Structure & Hierarchy | Two-level section & property configuration | Deeply nested PHP return array config files |
| Comments Support | Supported (; and # comments) | Supported (// and /* */) |
| Primary Ecosystem | PHP php.ini, Git .gitconfig, systemd units, desktop & game settings | Laravel config/*.php, WordPress plugins, Symfony & Composer projects |
INI to PHP Array — Before & After Example
[app] name = my-service version = 1.4.2 port = 8080 debug = false [database] host = localhost port = 5432 user = admin password = s3cr3t pool_size = 10 [cache] enabled = true ttl_seconds = 3600
<?php
$data = [
'app' => [
'name' => 'my-service',
'version' => '1.4.2',
'port' => 8080,
'debug' => false,
],
'database' => [
'host' => 'localhost',
'port' => 5432,
'user' => 'admin',
'password' => 's3cr3t',
'pool_size' => 10,
],
'cache' => [
'enabled' => true,
'ttl_seconds' => 3600,
],
];
return $data;
Frequently Asked Questions: INI to PHP Array
How do I convert INI to PHP Array online without uploading sensitive files? ▾
Paste your INI data or drag and drop a .ini file into the converter above. ZeroUpload parses INI and serializes PHP Array 100% inside your browser RAM using local JavaScript—no bytes are ever sent to an external server.
How are nested objects or tabular columns mapped between INI and PHP Array? ▾
When converting hierarchical structures (Two-level section & property configuration) and tabular or config formats (Deeply nested PHP return array config files), our engine automatically flattens or unflattens dot-separated keys (such as address.city) and preserves numbers, booleans, arrays, and null values.
Is this INI to PHP Array converter free for commercial and production config files? ▾
Yes. The tool is completely free, requires no account or API key, and works offline once loaded. Because execution happens in local memory, it is safe for proprietary INI, database exports, and production secrets.
Can I convert PHP Array back to INI? ▾
Yes! Click the "Swap (PHP Array → INI)" button at the top of the workspace or use the reverse converter link at the bottom of this page for bidirectional conversion.