PHP var_export() with short array syntax (square brackets) indented 4 spaces

varexport.php

<?php
function varexport($expression, $return=FALSE) {
    $export = var_export($expression, TRUE);
    $export = preg_replace("/^([ ]*)(.*)/m", '$1$1$2', $export);
    $array = preg_split("/\r\n|\n|\r/", $export);
    $array = preg_replace(["/\s*array\s\($/", "/\)(,)?$/", "/\s=>\s$/"], [NULL, ']$1', ' => ['], $array);
    $export = join(PHP_EOL, array_filter(["["] + $array));
    if ((bool)$return) return $export; else echo $export;
}

I have no idea how to make a PR of this (or if it is possible), here is a slightly better version (more generic) that avoid some problems when not used with arrays:

function varexport($expression, $return=FALSE) {
    if (!is_array($expression)) return var_export($expression, $return);
    $export = var_export($expression, TRUE);
    $export = preg_replace("/^([ ]*)(.*)/m", '$1$1$2', $export);
    $array = preg_split("/\r\n|\n|\r/", $export);
    $array = preg_replace(["/\s*array\s\($/", "/\)(,)?$/", "/\s=>\s$/"], [NULL, ']$1', ' => ['], $array);
    $export = join(PHP_EOL, array_filter(["["] + $array));
    if ((bool)$return) return $export; else echo $export;
}

What a nice! 👍 Thank you @Bogdaan

Many thanks! it has worked -:)

Thanks, worked for me :)

any ways to remove the keys if array is_list?

It doesn't work for nested arrays. Use this one:

function shorthand_var_export($expression, $return=false) {
    $export = var_export($expression, true);
    $patterns = [
        "/array \(/" => '[',
        "/^([ ]*)\)(,?)$/m" => '$1]$2',
    ];
    $output = preg_replace(array_keys($patterns), array_values($patterns), $export);
    if ($return) {
        return $output;
    } else {
        echo $output;
    }
}

$myArray = array('foo' => 'bar', 'baz');
shorthand_var_export($myArray);

Empty objects in PHP 8.0.30 at least are var_exported as

array (
  'key' => 
  (object) array(
  ),
)

This syntax is not handled correctly by this script.