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</div><hr /><div id="language.oop5.basic" class="sect1">
<h2 class="title">The Basics</h2>
<div class="sect2" id="language.oop5.basic.class">
<h3 class="title">class</h3>
<p class="para">
Basic class definitions begin with the
keyword <em>class</em>, followed by a class name,
followed by a pair of curly braces which enclose the definitions
of the properties and methods belonging to the class.
</p>
<p class="para">
The class name can be any valid label, provided it is not a
PHP <a href="reserved.html" class="link">reserved word</a>. A valid class
name starts with a letter or underscore, followed by any number of
letters, numbers, or underscores. As a regular expression, it
would be expressed thus:
<em>^[a-zA-Z_\x7f-\xff][a-zA-Z0-9_\x7f-\xff]*$</em>.
</p>
<p class="para">
A class may contain its
own <a href="language.oop5.constants.html" class="link">constants</a>, <a href="language.oop5.properties.html" class="link">variables</a>
(called "properties"), and functions (called "methods").
</p>
<div class="example" id="example-170">
<p><strong>Example #1 Simple Class definition</strong></p>
<div class="example-contents">
<div class="phpcode"><code><span style="color: #000000">
<span style="color: #0000BB"><?php<br /></span><span style="color: #007700">class </span><span style="color: #0000BB">SimpleClass<br /></span><span style="color: #007700">{<br /> </span><span style="color: #FF8000">// property declaration<br /> </span><span style="color: #007700">public </span><span style="color: #0000BB">$var </span><span style="color: #007700">= </span><span style="color: #DD0000">'a default value'</span><span style="color: #007700">;<br /><br /> </span><span style="color: #FF8000">// method declaration<br /> </span><span style="color: #007700">public function </span><span style="color: #0000BB">displayVar</span><span style="color: #007700">() {<br /> echo </span><span style="color: #0000BB">$this</span><span style="color: #007700">-></span><span style="color: #0000BB">var</span><span style="color: #007700">;<br /> }<br />}<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">?></span>
</span>
</code></div>
</div>
</div>
<p class="para">
The pseudo-variable <var class="varname"><var class="varname">$this</var></var> is available when a
method is called from within an object
context. <var class="varname"><var class="varname">$this</var></var> is a reference to the calling
object (usually the object to which the method belongs, but
possibly another object, if the method is called
<a href="language.oop5.static.html" class="link">statically</a> from the context
of a secondary object).
As of PHP 7.0.0 calling a non-static method statically from an incompatible
context results in $this being undefined inside the method. Calling a
non-static method statically from an incompatible context has been
deprecated as of PHP 5.6.0. As of PHP 7.0.0 calling a non-static method
statically has been generally deprecated (even if called from a compatible
context). Before PHP 5.6.0 such calls already triggered a strict notice.
</p>
<p class="para">
<div class="example" id="example-171">
<p><strong>Example #2 Some examples of the <var class="varname"><var class="varname">$this</var></var> pseudo-variable</strong></p>
<div class="example-contents"><p>
We're assuming that error_reporting is disabled for this example;
otherwise the following code would trigger deprecated and strict notices,
respectively, depending on the PHP version.
</p></div>
<div class="example-contents">
<div class="phpcode"><code><span style="color: #000000">
<span style="color: #0000BB"><?php<br /></span><span style="color: #007700">class </span><span style="color: #0000BB">A<br /></span><span style="color: #007700">{<br /> function </span><span style="color: #0000BB">foo</span><span style="color: #007700">()<br /> {<br /> if (isset(</span><span style="color: #0000BB">$this</span><span style="color: #007700">)) {<br /> echo </span><span style="color: #DD0000">'$this is defined ('</span><span style="color: #007700">;<br /> echo </span><span style="color: #0000BB">get_class</span><span style="color: #007700">(</span><span style="color: #0000BB">$this</span><span style="color: #007700">);<br /> echo </span><span style="color: #DD0000">")\n"</span><span style="color: #007700">;<br /> } else {<br /> echo </span><span style="color: #DD0000">"\$this is not defined.\n"</span><span style="color: #007700">;<br /> }<br /> }<br />}<br /><br />class </span><span style="color: #0000BB">B<br /></span><span style="color: #007700">{<br /> function </span><span style="color: #0000BB">bar</span><span style="color: #007700">()<br /> {<br /> </span><span style="color: #0000BB">A</span><span style="color: #007700">::</span><span style="color: #0000BB">foo</span><span style="color: #007700">();<br /> }<br />}<br /><br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">$a </span><span style="color: #007700">= new </span><span style="color: #0000BB">A</span><span style="color: #007700">();<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">$a</span><span style="color: #007700">-></span><span style="color: #0000BB">foo</span><span style="color: #007700">();<br /><br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">A</span><span style="color: #007700">::</span><span style="color: #0000BB">foo</span><span style="color: #007700">();<br /><br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">$b </span><span style="color: #007700">= new </span><span style="color: #0000BB">B</span><span style="color: #007700">();<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">$b</span><span style="color: #007700">-></span><span style="color: #0000BB">bar</span><span style="color: #007700">();<br /><br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">B</span><span style="color: #007700">::</span><span style="color: #0000BB">bar</span><span style="color: #007700">();<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">?></span>
</span>
</code></div>
</div>
<div class="example-contents"><p>Output of the above example in PHP 5:</p></div>
<div class="example-contents screen">
<div class="cdata"><pre>
$this is defined (A)
$this is not defined.
$this is defined (B)
$this is not defined.
</pre></div>
</div>
<div class="example-contents"><p>Output of the above example in PHP 7:</p></div>
<div class="example-contents screen">
<div class="cdata"><pre>
$this is defined (A)
$this is not defined.
$this is not defined.
$this is not defined.
</pre></div>
</div>
</div>
</p>
</div>
<div class="sect2" id="language.oop5.basic.new">
<h3 class="title">new</h3>
<p class="para">
To create an instance of a class, the <em>new</em> keyword must
be used. An object will always be created unless the object has a
<a href="language.oop5.decon.html" class="link">constructor</a> defined that throws an
<a href="language.exceptions.html" class="link">exception</a> on error. Classes
should be defined before instantiation (and in some cases this is a
requirement).
</p>
<p class="para">
If a <span class="type"><a href="language.types.string.html" class="type string">string</a></span> containing the name of a class is used with
<em>new</em>, a new instance of that class will be created. If
the class is in a namespace, its fully qualified name must be used when
doing this.
</p>
<div class="example" id="example-172">
<p><strong>Example #3 Creating an instance</strong></p>
<div class="example-contents">
<div class="phpcode"><code><span style="color: #000000">
<span style="color: #0000BB"><?php<br />$instance </span><span style="color: #007700">= new </span><span style="color: #0000BB">SimpleClass</span><span style="color: #007700">();<br /><br /></span><span style="color: #FF8000">// This can also be done with a variable:<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">$className </span><span style="color: #007700">= </span><span style="color: #DD0000">'SimpleClass'</span><span style="color: #007700">;<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">$instance </span><span style="color: #007700">= new </span><span style="color: #0000BB">$className</span><span style="color: #007700">(); </span><span style="color: #FF8000">// new SimpleClass()<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">?></span>
</span>
</code></div>
</div>
</div>
<p class="para">
In the class context, it is possible to create a new object by
<em>new self</em> and <em>new parent</em>.
</p>
<p class="para">
When assigning an already created instance of a class to a new variable, the new variable
will access the same instance as the object that was assigned. This
behaviour is the same when passing instances to a function. A copy
of an already created object can be made by
<a href="language.oop5.cloning.html" class="link">cloning</a> it.
</p>
<div class="example" id="example-173">
<p><strong>Example #4 Object Assignment</strong></p>
<div class="example-contents">
<div class="phpcode"><code><span style="color: #000000">
<span style="color: #0000BB"><?php<br /><br />$instance </span><span style="color: #007700">= new </span><span style="color: #0000BB">SimpleClass</span><span style="color: #007700">();<br /><br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">$assigned </span><span style="color: #007700">= </span><span style="color: #0000BB">$instance</span><span style="color: #007700">;<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">$reference </span><span style="color: #007700">=& </span><span style="color: #0000BB">$instance</span><span style="color: #007700">;<br /><br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">$instance</span><span style="color: #007700">-></span><span style="color: #0000BB">var </span><span style="color: #007700">= </span><span style="color: #DD0000">'$assigned will have this value'</span><span style="color: #007700">;<br /><br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">$instance </span><span style="color: #007700">= </span><span style="color: #0000BB">null</span><span style="color: #007700">; </span><span style="color: #FF8000">// $instance and $reference become null<br /><br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">var_dump</span><span style="color: #007700">(</span><span style="color: #0000BB">$instance</span><span style="color: #007700">);<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">var_dump</span><span style="color: #007700">(</span><span style="color: #0000BB">$reference</span><span style="color: #007700">);<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">var_dump</span><span style="color: #007700">(</span><span style="color: #0000BB">$assigned</span><span style="color: #007700">);<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">?></span>
</span>
</code></div>
</div>
<div class="example-contents"><p>The above example will output:</p></div>
<div class="example-contents screen">
<div class="cdata"><pre>
NULL
NULL
object(SimpleClass)#1 (1) {
["var"]=>
string(30) "$assigned will have this value"
}
</pre></div>
</div>
</div>
<p class="para">
PHP 5.3.0 introduced a couple of new ways to create instances of an
object:
</p>
<div class="example" id="example-174">
<p><strong>Example #5 Creating new objects</strong></p>
<div class="example-contents">
<div class="phpcode"><code><span style="color: #000000">
<span style="color: #0000BB"><?php<br /></span><span style="color: #007700">class </span><span style="color: #0000BB">Test<br /></span><span style="color: #007700">{<br /> static public function </span><span style="color: #0000BB">getNew</span><span style="color: #007700">()<br /> {<br /> return new static;<br /> }<br />}<br /><br />class </span><span style="color: #0000BB">Child </span><span style="color: #007700">extends </span><span style="color: #0000BB">Test<br /></span><span style="color: #007700">{}<br /><br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">$obj1 </span><span style="color: #007700">= new </span><span style="color: #0000BB">Test</span><span style="color: #007700">();<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">$obj2 </span><span style="color: #007700">= new </span><span style="color: #0000BB">$obj1</span><span style="color: #007700">;<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">var_dump</span><span style="color: #007700">(</span><span style="color: #0000BB">$obj1 </span><span style="color: #007700">!== </span><span style="color: #0000BB">$obj2</span><span style="color: #007700">);<br /><br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">$obj3 </span><span style="color: #007700">= </span><span style="color: #0000BB">Test</span><span style="color: #007700">::</span><span style="color: #0000BB">getNew</span><span style="color: #007700">();<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">var_dump</span><span style="color: #007700">(</span><span style="color: #0000BB">$obj3 </span><span style="color: #007700">instanceof </span><span style="color: #0000BB">Test</span><span style="color: #007700">);<br /><br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">$obj4 </span><span style="color: #007700">= </span><span style="color: #0000BB">Child</span><span style="color: #007700">::</span><span style="color: #0000BB">getNew</span><span style="color: #007700">();<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">var_dump</span><span style="color: #007700">(</span><span style="color: #0000BB">$obj4 </span><span style="color: #007700">instanceof </span><span style="color: #0000BB">Child</span><span style="color: #007700">);<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">?></span>
</span>
</code></div>
</div>
<div class="example-contents"><p>The above example will output:</p></div>
<div class="example-contents screen">
<div class="cdata"><pre>
bool(true)
bool(true)
bool(true)
</pre></div>
</div>
</div>
<p class="para">
PHP 5.4.0 introduced the possibility to access a member of a newly created
object in a single expression:
</p>
<div class="example" id="example-175">
<p><strong>Example #6 Access member of newly created object</strong></p>
<div class="example-contents">
<div class="phpcode"><code><span style="color: #000000">
<span style="color: #0000BB"><?php<br /></span><span style="color: #007700">echo (new </span><span style="color: #0000BB">DateTime</span><span style="color: #007700">())-></span><span style="color: #0000BB">format</span><span style="color: #007700">(</span><span style="color: #DD0000">'Y'</span><span style="color: #007700">);<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">?></span>
</span>
</code></div>
</div>
<div class="example-contents"><p>The above example will output
something similar to:</p></div>
<div class="example-contents screen">
<div class="cdata"><pre>
2016
</pre></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="sect2" id="language.oop5.basic.properties-methods">
<h3 class="title">Properties and methods</h3>
<p class="para">
Class properties and methods live in separate "namespaces", so it is
possible to have a property and a method with the same name. Referring to
both a property and a method has the same notation, and whether a property
will be accessed or a method will be called, solely depends on the context,
i.e. whether the usage is a variable access or a function call.
</p>
<div class="example" id="example-176">
<p><strong>Example #7 Property access vs. method call</strong></p>
<div class="example-contents">
<div class="phpcode"><code><span style="color: #000000">
<span style="color: #0000BB"><?php<br /></span><span style="color: #007700">class </span><span style="color: #0000BB">Foo<br /></span><span style="color: #007700">{<br /> public </span><span style="color: #0000BB">$bar </span><span style="color: #007700">= </span><span style="color: #DD0000">'property'</span><span style="color: #007700">;<br /> <br /> public function </span><span style="color: #0000BB">bar</span><span style="color: #007700">() {<br /> return </span><span style="color: #DD0000">'method'</span><span style="color: #007700">;<br /> }<br />}<br /><br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">$obj </span><span style="color: #007700">= new </span><span style="color: #0000BB">Foo</span><span style="color: #007700">();<br />echo </span><span style="color: #0000BB">$obj</span><span style="color: #007700">-></span><span style="color: #0000BB">bar</span><span style="color: #007700">, </span><span style="color: #0000BB">PHP_EOL</span><span style="color: #007700">, </span><span style="color: #0000BB">$obj</span><span style="color: #007700">-></span><span style="color: #0000BB">bar</span><span style="color: #007700">(), </span><span style="color: #0000BB">PHP_EOL</span><span style="color: #007700">;</span>
</span>
</code></div>
</div>
<div class="example-contents"><p>The above example will output:</p></div>
<div class="example-contents screen">
<div class="cdata"><pre>
property
method
</pre></div>
</div>
</div>
<p class="para">
That means that calling an <a href="functions.anonymous.html" class="link">anonymous
function</a> which has been assigned to a property is not directly
possible. Instead the property has to be assigned to a variable first, for
instance. As of PHP 7.0.0 it is possible to call such a property directly
by enclosing it in parentheses.
</p>
<div class="example" id="example-177">
<p><strong>Example #8 Calling an anonymous function stored in a property</strong></p>
<div class="example-contents">
<div class="phpcode"><code><span style="color: #000000">
<span style="color: #0000BB"><?php<br /></span><span style="color: #007700">class </span><span style="color: #0000BB">Foo<br /></span><span style="color: #007700">{<br /> public </span><span style="color: #0000BB">$bar</span><span style="color: #007700">;<br /> <br /> public function </span><span style="color: #0000BB">__construct</span><span style="color: #007700">() {<br /> </span><span style="color: #0000BB">$this</span><span style="color: #007700">-></span><span style="color: #0000BB">bar </span><span style="color: #007700">= function() {<br /> return </span><span style="color: #0000BB">42</span><span style="color: #007700">;<br /> };<br /> }<br />}<br /><br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">$obj </span><span style="color: #007700">= new </span><span style="color: #0000BB">Foo</span><span style="color: #007700">();<br /><br /></span><span style="color: #FF8000">// as of PHP 5.3.0:<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">$func </span><span style="color: #007700">= </span><span style="color: #0000BB">$obj</span><span style="color: #007700">-></span><span style="color: #0000BB">bar</span><span style="color: #007700">;<br />echo </span><span style="color: #0000BB">$func</span><span style="color: #007700">(), </span><span style="color: #0000BB">PHP_EOL</span><span style="color: #007700">;<br /><br /></span><span style="color: #FF8000">// alternatively, as of PHP 7.0.0:<br /></span><span style="color: #007700">echo (</span><span style="color: #0000BB">$obj</span><span style="color: #007700">-></span><span style="color: #0000BB">bar</span><span style="color: #007700">)(), </span><span style="color: #0000BB">PHP_EOL</span><span style="color: #007700">;</span>
</span>
</code></div>
</div>
<div class="example-contents"><p>The above example will output:</p></div>
<div class="example-contents screen">
<div class="cdata"><pre>
42
</pre></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="sect2" id="language.oop5.basic.extends">
<h3 class="title">extends</h3>
<p class="para">
A class can inherit the methods and properties of another class by
using the keyword <em>extends</em> in the class
declaration. It is not possible to extend multiple classes; a
class can only inherit from one base class.
</p>
<p class="para">
The inherited methods and properties can be overridden by
redeclaring them with the same name defined in the parent
class. However, if the parent class has defined a method
as <a href="language.oop5.final.html" class="link">final</a>, that method
may not be overridden. It is possible to access the overridden
methods or static properties by referencing them
with <a href="language.oop5.paamayim-nekudotayim.html" class="link">parent::</a>.
</p>
<p class="para">
When overriding methods, the parameter signature should remain the same or
PHP will generate an <strong><code>E_STRICT</code></strong> level error. This does
not apply to the constructor, which allows overriding with different
parameters.
</p>
<div class="example" id="example-178">
<p><strong>Example #9 Simple Class Inheritance</strong></p>
<div class="example-contents">
<div class="phpcode"><code><span style="color: #000000">
<span style="color: #0000BB"><?php<br /></span><span style="color: #007700">class </span><span style="color: #0000BB">ExtendClass </span><span style="color: #007700">extends </span><span style="color: #0000BB">SimpleClass<br /></span><span style="color: #007700">{<br /> </span><span style="color: #FF8000">// Redefine the parent method<br /> </span><span style="color: #007700">function </span><span style="color: #0000BB">displayVar</span><span style="color: #007700">()<br /> {<br /> echo </span><span style="color: #DD0000">"Extending class\n"</span><span style="color: #007700">;<br /> </span><span style="color: #0000BB">parent</span><span style="color: #007700">::</span><span style="color: #0000BB">displayVar</span><span style="color: #007700">();<br /> }<br />}<br /><br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">$extended </span><span style="color: #007700">= new </span><span style="color: #0000BB">ExtendClass</span><span style="color: #007700">();<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">$extended</span><span style="color: #007700">-></span><span style="color: #0000BB">displayVar</span><span style="color: #007700">();<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">?></span>
</span>
</code></div>
</div>
<div class="example-contents"><p>The above example will output:</p></div>
<div class="example-contents screen">
<div class="cdata"><pre>
Extending class
a default value
</pre></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="sect2" id="language.oop5.basic.class.class">
<h3 class="title">::class</h3>
<p class="para">
Since PHP 5.5, the <em>class</em> keyword is also used for class
name resolution. You can get a string containing the fully qualified name
of the <em>ClassName</em> class by using
<em>ClassName::class</em>. This is particularly useful with
<a href="language.namespaces.html" class="link">namespaced</a> classes.
</p>
<p class="para">
<div class="example" id="example-179">
<p><strong>Example #10 Class name resolution</strong></p>
<div class="example-contents">
<div class="phpcode"><code><span style="color: #000000">
<span style="color: #0000BB"><?php<br /></span><span style="color: #007700">namespace </span><span style="color: #0000BB">NS </span><span style="color: #007700">{<br /> class </span><span style="color: #0000BB">ClassName </span><span style="color: #007700">{<br /> }<br /> <br /> echo </span><span style="color: #0000BB">ClassName</span><span style="color: #007700">::class;<br />}<br /></span><span style="color: #0000BB">?></span>
</span>
</code></div>
</div>
<div class="example-contents"><p>The above example will output:</p></div>
<div class="example-contents screen">
<div class="cdata"><pre>
NS\ClassName
</pre></div>
</div>
</div>
</p>
<blockquote class="note"><p><strong class="note">Note</strong>:
<p class="para">The class name resolution using <em>::class</em> is a
compile time transformation. That means at the time the class name string
is created no autoloading has happened yet. As a consequence, class names
are expanded even if the class does not exist. No error is issued in
that case.
</p>
</p></blockquote>
</div>
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