function array_is_subset($superset, $subset)
{
if (count($superset) < count($subset)) {
return false;
}
$candidates = $superset;
$found = 0;
foreach ($subset as $elem) {
// the candidates array is empty then we're done
if (empty($candidates)) {
break;
}
$foundAt = null;
$attributes = array_keys($elem);
foreach ($candidates as $key => $candidate) {
$candidateAttributes = array_keys($candidate);
if (array_intersect($attributes, $candidateAttributes) != $attributes) {
continue;
}
foreach ($attributes as $attribute) {
$isArray = is_array($elem[$attribute]);
if ($isArray && !is_array($candidate[$attribute])) {
continue 2;
}
if ($isArray) {
$ck1 = array_keys($candidate[$attribute])[0];
$ek1 = array_keys($elem[$attribute])[0];
if (is_array($candidate[$attribute][$ck1]) && is_array($elem[$attribute][$ek1])) {
if (!array_is_subset($candidate[$attribute], $elem[$attribute])) {
continue 2;
}
break;
}
if (array_intersect($elem[$attribute], $candidate[$attribute]) != $elem[$attribute]) {
continue 2;
}
}
if ($candidate[$attribute] != $elem[$attribute]) {
continue 2;
}
}
$foundAt = $key;
break;
}
$found += (int) ($foundAt !== null);
unset($candidates[$foundAt]);
}
return $found == count($subset);
}
<?php require 'array_is_subset.php'; $superset = [['id' => 1, 'name' => 'John Doe', 'occupations' => [['Carpenter'], ['doctor']], 'created_at' => '2015-07-01 12:15:43'], ['id' => 2, 'name' => 'Mary Anne', 'occupation' => 'Welder', 'created_at' => '2015-07-05 11:25:41'], ['id' => 3, 'name' => 'Kelly Roberts', 'occupation' => 'Programmer', 'created_at' => '2015-07-07 13:18:52']]; $subset = [['name' => 'Mary Anne', 'occupation' => 'Welder'], ['name' => 'Kelly Roberts', 'occupation' => 'Programmer'], ['name' => 'John Doe', 'occupations' => [['Carpenter']]]]; echo array_is_subset($superset, $subset) ? "Match\n" : "No Match\n";