Why do print_r and var_dump execute before echo

Question

I\'m calling either var_dump() or print_r() on an array that has one value in an echo statement:

echo \"
<         


        

Answer 1

They do it because they aren't returning data, they are echoing. You can do print_r($array, true) to make it return, but var_dump() will need output buffering.

If you want it to work the way you're trying to make it, separate them into distinct calls.