PHP 8.4 is launched with Property Hooks, Class Instantiation with out additional parenthesis, and extra

The PHP staff has launched PHP 8.4 at present with new array discover features, property hooks, class instantiation with out additional parenthesis, and extra:

See the PHP 8.4 RFC web page for a whole checklist.

#New Array Discover Features

PHP 8.4 will include new array discover features that embody:

• array_find()
• array_find_key()
• array_any()
• array_all()

See our publish on the PHP 8.4 Array Discover Features.

#PHP Property Hooks

Property hooks are impressed by languages like Kotlin, C#, and Swift, and the syntax contains two syntax variants that resemble brief and multi-line closures:

class Person implements Named
{
    personal bool $isModified = false;
 
    public operate __construct(
        personal string $first,
        personal string $final
    ) {}
 
    public string $fullName {
        // Override the "learn" motion with arbitrary logic.
        get => $this->first . " " . $this->final;
 
        // Override the "write" motion with arbitrary logic.
        set {
            [$this->first, $this->last] = explode(' ', $worth, 2);
            $this->isModified = true;
        }
    }
}

Property hooks will assist take away boilerplate of property getters and setters, permitting a property to outline entry and updates utilizing hooks.

Try our publish for extra particulars: Property Hooks in PHP 8.4.

#new MyClass()->methodology() with out parentheses

Since member entry throughout instantiation was launched, you need to wrap the new MyClass() name in parentheses, otherwise you’ll get a parse error. The proposed syntax would help you entry constants, properties, and strategies with out the additional parentheses:

// Wrapping parentheses are required to entry class members
$request = (new Request())->withMethod('GET')->withUri('/hello-world');
 
// PHP Parse error (<= PHP 8.3): syntax error, sudden token "->"
$request = new Request()->withMethod('GET')->withUri('/hello-world');

This replace fixes papercut that makes working with class member entry less complicated, not having so as to add surrounding parentheses or utilizing a static constructor methodology. This syntax change additionally places PHP extra in alignment with different C languages like Java, C#, and TypeScript, which do not require surrounded parentheses.

Try our publish for extra particulars: Class Instantiation With out Further Parenthesis in PHP 8.4.

#Create a DateTime from a Unix Timestamp

Making a DateTime from a Unix timestamp will likely be extra handy in PHP 8.4, with the brand new createFromTimestamp() methodology. It should help each a typical Unix timestamp in addition to timestamps containing microseconds:

$dt = DateTimeImmutable::createFromTimestamp(1718337072);
$dt->format('Y-m-d'); // 2024-06-14
 
$dt = DateTimeImmutable::createFromTimestamp(1718337072.432);
$dt->format('Y-m-d h:i:s.u'); // 2024-06-14 03:51:12.432000

In earlier variations of PHP, there are a couple of methods to create a DateTime occasion from a timestamp, such because the createFromFormat() methodology:

$dt = DateTimeImmutable::createFromFormat('U', (string) 1718337072);
// DateTimeImmutable @1718337072 {#7948
//   date: 2024-06-14 03:51:12.0 +00:00,
// }
 
$dt = DateTimeImmutable::createFromFormat('U.u', (string) 1718337072.432);
// DateTimeImmutable @1718337072 {#7950
//   date: 2024-06-14 03:51:12.432 +00:00,
// }

#New mb_ features

PHP has had trim, ltrim, rtrim, ucfirst, and lcfirst features for a very long time, and now in PHP 8.4 it provides mb_, multi-byte strings help for these features.

• mb_trim()
• mb_ltrim()
• mb_rtrim()
• mb_ucfirst()
• mb_lcfirst()

These all carry the identical arguments as the unique features. These features are from two separate RFCs: rfc:mb_trim and rfc:mb_ucfirst.

#Uneven Property Visibility

Beginning in PHP 8.4, properties may additionally have their visibility set asymmetrically with a distinct scope for studying and writing. Here is an instance from the documentation:

class Guide
{
    public operate __construct(
        public personal(set) string $title,
        public protected(set) string $writer,
        protected personal(set) int $pubYear,
    ) {}
}
 
class SpecialBook extends Guide
{
    public operate replace(string $writer, int $12 months): void
    {
        $this->writer = $writer; // OK
        $this->pubYear = $12 months; // Deadly Error
    }
}
 
$b = new Guide('Learn how to PHP', 'Peter H. Peterson', 2024);
 
echo $b->title; // Learn how to PHP
echo $b->writer; // Peter H. Peterson
echo $b->pubYear; // Deadly Error

Try our publish for extra particulars: Uneven Property Visibility in PHP 8.4.

#Laravel Herd already helps 8.4

In case you are on the lookout for a simple solution to begin utilizing PHP 8.4, Laravel Herd already contains help and you may change to it tremendous simple.

PHP 8.4.1 is right here! 🎉

One-click to discover all new options in Laravel Herd

[image or embed]

— Marcel Pociot (@marcelpociot.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 5:16 AM

#Be taught extra

To stand up to hurry on these new options, take a look at the PHP 8.4.0 Launch Announcement web page for examples earlier than/after PHP 8.4. Make sure you take a look at the deprecations and backward compatibility breaks.

The next checklist of extra sources has all the pieces it’s essential be taught extra about this launch:

• The UPGRADING doc contains backward-incompatible modifications, new options, and all the pieces else you will have to familiarize your self with modifications in PHP 8.4
• The NEWS doc has detailed notes about every launch
• The PHP 8.4 preparation duties web page has the discharge timeline of the upcoming releases
• You’ll be able to obtain PHP 8.4 supply from the downloads web page