PHP Query - Check string character

Solution:

You can use array to store your keywords and then usein_array() if you want to avoid multiple if statements.

$key_words =["ax","ab","ac"]
if (in_array( substr('yourstringvalue', 0, 2), $key_words ){
  //your code
}
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References: in_array — Checks if a value exists in an array

Solution:

If this sub-string is always in the same place - easy and fast isswitch

// $x = string to pass 
switch(substr($x,0,2)){
    case 'ax':  /* do ax */ break;
    case 'ab':  /* do ab */ break;
    case 'ac':  /* do ac */ break;  // break breaks execution
    case 'zy':  /* do ZY */         // without a break this and next line will be executed
    case 'zz':  /* do ZZ */ break;  // for zz only ZZ will be executed
    default:    /* default proceed */}
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switch pass exact values incase - any other situation are not possible or weird and redundant.
switch can also evaluate throughdefault to another oneswitch or other conditions

manual

Solution:

You can use preg_match approach for test the string:

if(preg_match('/^(ax|ab|ac)/', '1abcd_test', $matches)) {
    echo "String starts with: " . $matches[1];
} else {
    echo "String is not match";
}
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Example: PHPize.online

You can learn about PHP Regular Expressions fro more complicated string matching