- var_dump: documentation ( source)
<?php
$start = DateTime::createFromFormat('Y-m-d H:i:s', '2019-01-01 07:00:00');
$end = DateTime::createFromFormat('Y-m-d H:i:s', '2019-01-01 10:00:00');
var_dump($start->diff($end)->h);
$start = DateTime::createFromFormat('Y-m-d H:i:s', '2018-01-01 07:00:00');
$end = DateTime::createFromFormat('Y-m-d H:i:s', '2019-01-01 10:00:00');
var_dump($start->diff($end)->h);