PHP PDO::getAvailableDrivers Method

last modified April 19, 2025

The PDO::getAvailableDrivers method returns an array of available PDO drivers. These drivers enable PHP to connect to different database management systems.

Basic Definition

PDO::getAvailableDrivers is a static method that lists all currently installed PDO drivers. It requires no parameters and returns an array.

Syntax: public static PDO::getAvailableDrivers(): array. The returned array contains driver names like mysql, sqlite, pgsql.

Basic Usage

This example shows the simplest way to use getAvailableDrivers.

basic_usage.php

<?php

$drivers = PDO::getAvailableDrivers();

print_r($drivers);

This code retrieves all available PDO drivers and prints them. The output will vary depending on your PHP installation and configured database drivers.

Checking for Specific Driver

This example checks if a specific database driver is available.

check_driver.php

<?php

$drivers = PDO::getAvailableDrivers();

if (in_array('mysql', $drivers)) {
    echo "MySQL driver is available";
} else {
    echo "MySQL driver is NOT available";
}

This checks if the MySQL driver is installed before attempting to connect to a MySQL database. It's good practice to verify driver availability.

Listing Drivers with Count

This example lists all available drivers with a count.

list_drivers.php

<?php

$drivers = PDO::getAvailableDrivers();

echo "Available PDO drivers (" . count($drivers) . "):\n";

foreach ($drivers as $driver) {
    echo "- $driver\n";
}

This provides a formatted list of all available drivers with a count. The foreach loop iterates through each driver name.

Driver Availability Check Function

This creates a reusable function to check driver availability.

driver_check.php

<?php

function isDriverAvailable(string $driver): bool {
    return in_array($driver, PDO::getAvailableDrivers());
}

// Usage:
if (isDriverAvailable('sqlite')) {
    echo "SQLite is available for use";
} else {
    echo "SQLite is NOT available";
}

This encapsulates the driver check in a reusable function. The function returns true if the specified driver is available.

Conditional Connection Based on Drivers

This shows how to connect to different databases based on available drivers.

conditional_connect.php

<?php

$drivers = PDO::getAvailableDrivers();

try {
    if (in_array('mysql', $drivers)) {
        $pdo = new PDO('mysql:host=localhost;dbname=test', 'user', 'pass');
    } elseif (in_array('sqlite', $drivers)) {
        $pdo = new PDO('sqlite:/path/to/database.db');
    } else {
        throw new Exception('No supported database drivers available');
    }
    
    echo "Connected successfully";
} catch (PDOException $e) {
    echo "Connection failed: " . $e->getMessage();
}

This attempts to connect to MySQL first, then falls back to SQLite. It throws an exception if no supported drivers are available.

Generating Driver Options for UI

This generates HTML select options for available database drivers.

driver_options.php

<?php

$drivers = PDO::getAvailableDrivers();

echo "<select name='database_driver'>";
foreach ($drivers as $driver) {
    echo "<option value='$driver'>$driver</option>";
}
echo "</select>";

This creates a dropdown menu in HTML with all available drivers. It's useful for configuration interfaces where users select databases.

Driver Information with Descriptions

This provides more detailed information about each available driver.

driver_info.php

<?php

$driverInfo = [
    'mysql' => 'MySQL database',
    'sqlite' => 'SQLite 3 database',
    'pgsql' => 'PostgreSQL database',
    'oci' => 'Oracle database',
    'sqlsrv' => 'Microsoft SQL Server'
];

$drivers = PDO::getAvailableDrivers();

echo "Available PDO Drivers:\n";
foreach ($drivers as $driver) {
    $desc = $driverInfo[$driver] ?? 'Unknown database driver';
    echo "- $driver: $desc\n";
}

This enhances the basic driver list with descriptive information. The array maps driver names to human-readable descriptions.

Best Practices

Check Early: Verify driver availability before connection attempts.
Provide Fallbacks: Offer alternative databases when possible.
User Feedback: Clearly inform users about missing drivers.
Document Requirements: List needed drivers in your documentation.
Error Handling: Handle missing drivers gracefully in your code.

Source

PHP PDO::getAvailableDrivers Documentation

This tutorial covered the PDO::getAvailableDrivers method with practical examples showing different ways to use this functionality in PHP applications.

Author

My name is Jan Bodnar, and I am a passionate programmer with extensive programming experience. I have been writing programming articles since 2007. To date, I have authored over 1,400 articles and 8 e-books. I possess more than ten years of experience in teaching programming.

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