PHP | SimpleXMLIterator valid() Function

Last Updated : 12 Jul, 2025
The SimpleXMLIterator::valid() function is an inbuilt function in PHP which is used to check the current element is valid or not. Syntax: 
bool SimpleXMLIterator::valid( void )
Parameters: This function does not accept any parameters. Return Value: This function returns TRUE if the current element is valid, or FALSE on failure. Below programs illustrate the SimpleXMLIterator::valid() function in PHP: Program 1: php 
<?php

// Store the xml element to variable
$xml = <<<XML
    <organization>
        <name>GeeksforGeeks</name>
        <address>Noida India</address>
        <contact>
            <email>abc@geeksforgeeks.org</email>
            <mobile>+91-987654321</mobile>
        </contact>
    </organization>
XML;

$xmlIt = new SimpleXMLIterator($xml);

// Use rewind() function to rewind
// to the first element
$xmlIt->rewind();

// Display the result
var_dump($xmlIt->valid());

// Use next() function to move
// the next element
$xmlIt->next();
$xmlIt->next();
$xmlIt->next();

// Display the result
var_dump($xmlIt->valid());

?>
Output: 
bool(true)
bool(false)
Program 2: php 
<?php

// Store the xml element to variable
$xml = <<<XML
    <organization>
        <name>GeeksforGeeks</name>
        <address>Noida India</address>
        <contact>
            <email>abc@geeksforgeeks.org</email>
            <mobile>+91-987654321</mobile>
        </contact>
    </organization>
XML;

$xmlIt = new SimpleXMLIterator($xml);

// Loop starts from first element of xml and 
// run upto when elements are not valid
for( $xmlIt->rewind(); $xmlIt->valid(); $xmlIt->next() ) {
    
    var_dump($xmlIt->key());
}

?>
Output: 
string(4) "name"
string(7) "address"
string(7) "contact"
Reference: https://www.php.net/manual/en/simplexmlelement.valid
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