PHP quotemeta() Function (original) (raw)

Last Updated : 11 Jul, 2025

The quotemeta() function is an inbuilt function in PHP which accepts a string as an argument and returns a string which has backslashes added in front of some predefined characters in a string. The predefined characters are:

period (.)
backslash (\)
plus sign (+)
asterisk (*)
question mark (?)
brackets ([])
caret (^)
dollar sign ($)
parenthesis (())

Syntax:

quotemeta($string)

Parameter: This function accepts only one parameter $string which is mandatory. This parameter specifies the string in which we want to add backslashes in front of the above mentioned predefined characters. Return Value: It returns a string by adding backslashes in front of the predefined characters in the $string argument. Examples:

Input: str="geekstr = "geekstr="geek for geeks?" Output: geek$ for geeks?

Input: $str = "+geek* for geeks." Output: +geek* for geeks.

Below programs illustrate the quotemeta() function in PHP:Program 1: When string has '?' and '$' predefined characters

php `

str="geekstr = "geekstr="geek for geeks?"; // prints the string by adding backslashes // in front of the predefined characters // '$' and '?' echo(quotemeta($str)); ?>

Output:

geek$ for geeks?

Program 2: When string has '*', '.' and '+' predefined characters

php `

Output:

+geek* for geeks.

Program 3: When string has brackets and parenthesis as predefined characters.

php `

Output:

[]geek for geeks()

Program 4: When string has caret (^) as predefined character.

php `

Output:

2 ^ 2 = 4

Reference: https://www.php.net/manual/en/function.quotemeta.php