function dump($var, $exit = false) {
  if(is_string($var) && '' == $var) {
    $var = 'string(0) ""';
  } elseif(is_array($var) && empty($var)) {
    $var = 'array(0) empty';
  } elseif(is_bool($var)) {
    $var = 'boolean ' . ((true === $var) ? 'true' : 'false');
  } elseif(null === $var) {
    $var = 'null';
  }

  echo '<pre>', print_r($var, true), '</pre>';

  if(true == $exit) {
    exit('<pre>dump exit</pre>');
  }
}

function dump($var, $exit = false) {
  if(is_string($var) && '' == $var) {
    $var = 'string(' . strlen($var) . ') ""';
  } elseif(is_array($var) && empty($var)) {
    $var = 'array(0) empty';
  } elseif(is_bool($var)) {
    $var = 'boolean ' . ((true === $var) ? 'true' : 'false');
  } elseif(null === $var) {
    $var = 'null';
  }

  echo '<pre>', print_r($var, true), '</pre>';

  if(true == $exit) {
    exit('<pre>dump exit</pre>');
  }
}

For when xDebug is not enabled and you want to echo/dump a variable.

Shorter than:
<pre> var_dump($something); exit;</pre>
if you use the $exit argument.

Also shorter than:
<pre>echo "&lt;pre&gt;"; var_dump($something); echo "&lt;/pre&gt;"; exit;</pre>
too.

Dump function for when there\'s no xDebug present.

PHP