title: json_encode/json_decode - returns stdClass instead of Array in PHP
body: <p>Observe this little script:</p>
  
  <pre><code>$array = array('stuff' =&gt; 'things');
  print_r($array);
  //prints - Array ( [stuff] =&gt; things )
  $arrayEncoded = json_encode($array);
  echo $arrayEncoded . "&lt;br /&gt;";
  //prints - {"stuff":"things"}
  $arrayDecoded = json_decode($arrayEncoded);
  print_r($arrayDecoded);
  //prints - stdClass Object ( [stuff] =&gt; things )
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Why does PHP turn the JSON Object into a class?</p>
  
  <p>Shouldn't an array that is <code>json_encoded</code> then <code>json_decoded</code> yield the EXACT same result?</p>