当然，这是一个更好的选择。

<?php
$arr = array(1,2,3,4);
$isIndexed = array_values($arr) === $arr;

我认为标量数组的定义因应用程序而异。也就是说，一些应用程序将需要更严格的定义标量数组，而一些应用程序将需要更宽松的定义。

下面我将介绍3种不同严格程度的方法。

<?php
/**
 * Since PHP stores all arrays as associative internally, there is no proper
 * definition of a scalar array.
 * 
 * As such, developers are likely to have varying definitions of scalar array,
 * based on their application needs.
 * 
 * In this file, I present 3 increasingly strict methods of determining if an
 * array is scalar.
 * 
 * @author David Farrell <DavidPFarrell@gmail.com>
 */

/**
 * isArrayWithOnlyIntKeys defines a scalar array as containing
 * only integer keys.
 * 
 * If you are explicitly setting integer keys on an array, you
 * may need this function to determine scalar-ness.
 * 
 * @param array $a
 * @return boolean
 */ 
function isArrayWithOnlyIntKeys(array $a)
{
    if (!is_array($a))
        return false;
    foreach ($a as $k => $v)
        if (!is_int($k))
            return false;
    return true;
}

/**
 * isArrayWithOnlyAscendingIntKeys defines a scalar array as
 * containing only integer keys in ascending (but not necessarily
 * sequential) order.
 * 
 * If you are performing pushes, pops, and unsets on your array,
 * you may need this function to determine scalar-ness.
 * 
 * @param array $a
 * @return boolean
 */ 
function isArrayWithOnlyAscendingIntKeys(array $a)
{
    if (!is_array($a))
        return false;
    $prev = null;
    foreach ($a as $k => $v)
    {
        if (!is_int($k) || (null !== $prev && $k <= $prev))
            return false;
        $prev = $k;
    }
    return true;
}

/**
 * isArrayWithOnlyZeroBasedSequentialIntKeys defines a scalar array
 * as containing only integer keys in sequential, ascending order,
 * starting from 0.
 * 
 * If you are only performing operations on your array that are
 * guaranteed to either maintain consistent key values, or that
 * re-base the keys for consistency, then you can use this function.
 * 
 * @param array $a
 * @return boolean
 */
function isArrayWithOnlyZeroBasedSequentialIntKeys(array $a)
{
    if (!is_array($a))
        return false;
    $i = 0;
    foreach ($a as $k => $v)
        if ($i++ !== $k)
            return false;
    return true;
}

除非PHP有这样的内置功能，否则您无法在小于O(n)的时间内完成—枚举所有键并检查整数类型。事实上，你还想确保没有漏洞，所以你的算法可能是这样的:

for i in 0 to len(your_array):
    if not defined(your-array[i]):
        # this is not an array array, it's an associative array :)

但为什么要麻烦呢?只需假设数组是您所期望的类型。如果不是，它就会在你面前爆炸——这就是动态编程!测试你的代码，一切都会很好……

速度明智:

function isAssoc($array)
{
    return ($array !== array_values($array));
}

Memory-wise:

function isAssoc($array)
{
    $array = array_keys($array); return ($array !== array_keys($array));
}

还有另一种方法。

function array_isassociative($array)
{
    // Create new Array,  Make it the same size as the input array
    $compareArray = array_pad(array(), count($array), 0);

    // Compare the two array_keys
    return (count(array_diff_key($array, $compareArray))) ? true : false;

}

下面是我使用的方法:

function is_associative ( $a )
{
    return in_array(false, array_map('is_numeric', array_keys($a)));
}

assert( true === is_associative(array(1, 2, 3, 4)) );

assert( false === is_associative(array('foo' => 'bar', 'bar' => 'baz')) );

assert( false === is_associative(array(1, 2, 3, 'foo' => 'bar')) );

注意，这并不包括特殊情况，如:

$a = array( 1, 2, 3, 4 );

unset($a[1]);

assert( true === is_associative($a) );

对不起，我帮不了你。对于大小合适的数组，它也有一定的性能，因为它不会产生不必要的拷贝。正是这些小细节使得Python和Ruby编写起来更加方便……: P