FOR vs FOREACH

  ## preperations; just a simple environment state

  $test_iterations = 100;
  $test_arr_size = 1000;

  // a shared function that makes use of the loop; this should
  // ensure no funny bussiness is happening to fool the test
  function test($input)
  {
    echo '<!-- '.trim($input).' -->';
  }

  // for each test we create a array this should avoid any of the
  // arrays internal representation or optimizations from getting
  // in the way.

  // normal array
  $test_arr1 = array();
  $test_arr2 = array();
  $test_arr3 = array();
  // hash tables
  $test_arr4 = array();
  $test_arr5 = array();

  for ($i = 0; $i < $test_arr_size; ++$i)
  {
    mt_srand();
    $hash = md5(mt_rand());
    $key = substr($hash, 0, 5).$i;

    $test_arr1[$i] = $test_arr2[$i] = $test_arr3[$i] = $test_arr4[$key] = $test_arr5[$key]
      = $hash;
  }

  ## foreach

  $start = microtime(true);
  for ($j = 0; $j < $test_iterations; ++$j)
  {
    foreach ($test_arr1 as $k => $v)
    {
      test($v);
    }
  }
  echo '<strong>foreach</strong> '.(microtime(true) - $start).'<br />';

  ## foreach (using reference)

  $start = microtime(true);
  for ($j = 0; $j < $test_iterations; ++$j)
  {
    foreach ($test_arr2 as &$value)
    {
      test($value);
    }
  }
  echo '<strong>foreach</strong> (using reference) '.(microtime(true) - $start).'<br />';

  ## for

  $start = microtime(true);
  for ($j = 0; $j < $test_iterations; ++$j)
  {
    $size = count($test_arr3);
    for ($i = 0; $i < $size; ++$i)
    {
      test($test_arr3[$i]);
    }
  }
  echo '<strong>for</strong> '.(microtime(true) - $start).'<br />';

  ## foreach (hash table)

  $start = microtime(true);
  for ($j = 0; $j < $test_iterations; ++$j)
  {
    foreach ($test_arr4 as $k => $v)
    {
      test($v);
    }
  }
  echo '<strong>foreach</strong> (hash table) '.(microtime(true) - $start).'<br />';

  ## for (hash table)

  $start = microtime(true);
  for ($j = 0; $j < $test_iterations; ++$j)
  {
    $keys = array_keys($test_arr5);
    $size = sizeOf($test_arr5);
    for ($i = 0; $i < $size; ++$i)
    {
      test($test_arr5[$keys[$i]]);
    }
  }
  echo '<strong>for</strong> (hash table) '.(microtime(true) - $start).'<br />';