Backend PHP Modern Features
When to use this skill
- •Using PHP 8.0+
- •Modernizing codebase
- •Type-safe code
- •Leveraging new language features
Workflow
- • Use enums for fixed sets of values
- • Apply attributes for metadata
- • Use readonly for immutable properties
- • Leverage union types
- • Use named arguments
Instructions
Enums (PHP 8.1+)
php
<?php
enum UserStatus: string
{
case ACTIVE = 'active';
case INACTIVE = 'inactive';
case BANNED = 'banned';
public function label(): string
{
return match($this) {
self::ACTIVE => 'Active User',
self::INACTIVE => 'Inactive',
self::BANNED => 'Banned User'
};
}
}
// Usage
$user->status = UserStatus::ACTIVE;
Readonly Properties (PHP 8.1+)
php
<?php
class User
{
public function __construct(
public readonly int $id,
public readonly string $email,
public string $name
) {}
}
$user = new User(1, 'user@example.com', 'John');
// $user->id = 2; // Error: Cannot modify readonly property
Union Types (PHP 8.0+)
php
<?php
function processValue(int|float|string $value): int|float
{
return is_string($value) ? (int)$value : $value;
}
Named Arguments (PHP 8.0+)
php
<?php
function createUser(
string $name,
string $email,
bool $isActive = true
): User {
// ...
}
// Usage
$user = createUser(
email: 'user@example.com',
name: 'John Doe'
);
Attributes (PHP 8.0+)
php
<?php
#[Attribute]
class Route
{
public function __construct(
public string $path,
public string $method = 'GET'
) {}
}
class UserController
{
#[Route('/api/users', 'GET')]
public function index() {}
}
Match Expression (PHP 8.0+)
php
<?php
$message = match($status) {
UserStatus::ACTIVE => 'User is active',
UserStatus::INACTIVE => 'User is inactive',
UserStatus::BANNED => 'User is banned',
default => 'Unknown status'
};
Resources
- •Use enums instead of constants
- •Readonly for immutable data
- •Match is stricter than switch