PHP Objects vs Arrays -- Performance comparison while iterating

Solution 1:

Based in the code of Quazzle, i ran the next code (5.4.16 windows 64bits):

<?php
class SomeClass {
    public $aaa;
    public $bbb;
    public $ccc;
    }

function p($i) {
  echo '<pre>';
  print_r($i);
  echo '</pre>';
}


$t0 = microtime(true);
$arraysOf=array();
$inicio=memory_get_usage(); 
for ($i=0; $i<1000; $i++) {
    $z = array();
    for ($j=0; $j<1000; $j++) {
        $z['aaa'] = 'aaa';
        $z['bbb'] = 'bbb';
        $z['ccc'] = $z['aaa'].$z['bbb'];            
    }
    $arraysOf[]=$z;
}
$fin=memory_get_usage();    
echo '<p>arrays: '.(microtime(true) - $t0)."</p>";
echo '<p>memory: '.($fin-$inicio)."</p>";
p($z);

$t0 = microtime(true);
$arraysOf=array();
$inicio=memory_get_usage(); 
for ($i=0; $i<1000; $i++) {
    $z = new SomeClass();
    for ($j=0; $j<1000; $j++) {
        $z->aaa = 'aaa';
        $z->bbb = 'bbb';
        $z->ccc = $z->aaa.$z->bbb;          
    }
    $arraysOf[]=$z;
}
$fin=memory_get_usage();    
echo '<p>arrays: '.(microtime(true) - $t0)."</p>";
echo '<p>memory: '.($fin-$inicio)."</p>";
p($z);

$t0 = microtime(true);
$arraysOf=array();
$inicio=memory_get_usage(); 
for ($i=0; $i<1000; $i++) {
    $z = new stdClass();
    for ($j=0; $j<1000; $j++) {
        $z->aaa = 'aaa';
        $z->bbb = 'bbb';
        $z->ccc = $z->aaa.$z->bbb;          
    }
    $arraysOf[]=$z;
}
$fin=memory_get_usage();    
echo '<p>arrays: '.(microtime(true) - $t0)."</p>";
echo '<p>memory: '.($fin-$inicio)."</p>";
p($z);  
?>

And i obtained the next result:

arrays: 1.8451430797577

memory: 460416

Array
(
    [aaa] => aaa
    [bbb] => bbb
    [ccc] => aaabbb
)

arrays: 1.8294548988342

memory: 275696

SomeClass Object
(
    [aaa] => aaa
    [bbb] => bbb
    [ccc] => aaabbb
)

arrays: 2.2577090263367

memory: 483648

stdClass Object
(
    [aaa] => aaa
    [bbb] => bbb
    [ccc] => aaabbb
)

Conclusion for php 5.4

1. Class is fasts than Arrays (but marginally).
2. stdClass is evil.
3. Class uses less memory than Arrays. (about 30-40% less!!)

ps: as a note, if the class is defined but the members then, the use of this class is slower. It also uses more memory. Apparently the secret is to define the members

Update

I updated from php 5.4 to php 5.5 (5.5.12 x86 windows).

arrays: 1.6465699672699

memory: 460400

Array
(
    [aaa] => aaa
    [bbb] => bbb
    [ccc] => aaabbb
)

arrays: 1.8687851428986

memory: 363704

SplFixedArray Object
(
    [0] => aaa
    [1] => bbb
    [2] => aaabbb
)

arrays: 1.8554251194

memory: 275568

SomeClass Object
(
    [aaa] => aaa
    [bbb] => bbb
    [ccc] => aaabbb
)

arrays: 2.0101680755615

memory: 483656

stdClass Object
(
    [aaa] => aaa
    [bbb] => bbb
    [ccc] => aaabbb
)

Conclusion for php 5.5

1. For arrays, PHP 5.5 is faster than PHP 5.4, for object it is pretty much the same
2. Class is slower than Arrays thanks to the optimization of PHP 5.5 and arrays.
3. stdClass is evil.
4. Class still uses less memory than Arrays. (about 30-40% less!!).
5. SplFixedArray is similar to use a Class but it uses more memory.

Solution 2:

I used this code for "profiling" (1000 instances, 1000.000 reads/writes):

function p($i) {
  echo '<pre>';
  print_r($i);
  echo '</pre>';
}


$t0 = microtime(true);
for ($i=0; $i<1000; $i++) {
    $z = array();
    for ($j=0; $j<1000; $j++) {
        $z['aaa'] = 'aaa';
        $z['bbb'] = 'bbb';
        $z['ccc'] = $z['aaa'].$z['bbb'];
    }
}
echo '<p>arrays: '.(microtime(true) - $t0);
p($z);

$t0 = microtime(true);
for ($i=0; $i<1000; $i++) {
    $z = (object) null;
    for ($j=0; $j<1000; $j++) {
        $z->aaa = 'aaa';
        $z->bbb = 'bbb';
        $z->ccc = $z->aaa.$z->bbb;
    }
}
echo '<p>obj: '.(microtime(true) - $t0);
p($z);

echo '<p> phpversion '.phpversion();

It outputs in my LINUX hosting this stuff:

arrays: 1.1085488796234

Array
(
    [aaa] => aaa
    [bbb] => bbb
    [ccc] => aaabbb
)
obj: 1.2824709415436

stdClass Object
(
    [aaa] => aaa
    [bbb] => bbb
    [ccc] => aaabbb
)
phpversion 5.2.17

so in a conclusion: objects are slower even on PHP 5.2. Don't use objects unless you really need their oop features.