7 PHP Update for Developers and Users

PHP is a versatile and widely-used programming language that has been a staple in web development for decades. Its updates have significantly impacted developers and users alike.

One of the most significant updates was the introduction of PHP 7, which brought a 2x performance boost compared to PHP 5.6. This improvement has made PHP an even more attractive choice for web developers.

Developers can take advantage of PHP 7's improved performance to build faster and more efficient web applications. This is especially beneficial for high-traffic websites that require quick load times to keep users engaged.

PHP 7 also introduced scalar type declarations, which allow developers to specify the type of a variable at the time of declaration. This feature helps prevent type-related errors and makes code more maintainable.

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In PHP 7.3, several new features were introduced to enhance the language. One of them is the ability to throw an exception when parsing or encoding JSON, thanks to the JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR feature.

This feature allows for more robust error handling when working with JSON data. For instance, if you're trying to parse a malformed JSON string, PHP 7.3 will now throw an exception instead of returning a boolean false value.

PHP 7.3 also supports samesite cookies, which is a security feature that helps prevent cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks. This is a significant improvement over previous versions of PHP.

Here are some key new features in PHP 7.3:

Scalar type declarations in PHP 7 are a game-changer for developers.

PHP 7 adds support for return type declarations, which specify the type of the value that will be returned from a function.

This means you can now declare the expected return type of a function, making your code more readable and maintainable.

The same types available for argument type declarations are available for return type declarations.

You can use nullable types to specify that a function can return null, which is useful for functions that might not always return a value.

Nullable types are denoted by a question mark after the type, like this: ?type.

This allows you to differentiate between a function that might return a value and one that always returns null.

For example, if you have a function that returns a string, you can declare it as a nullable string type: ?string.

The return type of a function can be a class type, like Catalog, which is used in an example in the article.

This means you can declare a function that returns an instance of a class, and the type system will enforce that.

However, if you try to return null from a function with a class return type, you'll get an error.

This is because the type system expects an instance of the class, not null.

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PHP 7.1 introduced the void return type, which means a function doesn't return a value. A function with a void return type must not return a value, not even NULL.

A void function is defined as a function that returns nothing. In PHP, a void function can have an empty return statement, but it cannot return a value. For example, if you try to return NULL from a function with a void return type, you'll get an error message.

Here's a summary of the rules for void return types in PHP:

To demonstrate the use of a void return type, let's look at an example from the article. The script hello-void.php declares a function called hello() with return type void. The function outputs a 'Hello' string and has an empty return statement. If the return type is void, the function must not return a value.

By following these rules, you can use the void return type to create functions that don't return values, which can be useful in certain situations.

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PHP 7.3 brought significant performance gains, with WordPress + WooCommerce seeing 12.5% improvements and Magento 2.3.0 seeing 11% gains. This is a notable boost for applications that made the switch.

However, if you're still running older software on PHP 7.3, you're missing out on even more recent performance improvements. Migrating to an updated version is strongly recommended.

Here are some examples of applications that saw performance gains with PHP 7.3:

PHP 7 also introduced changes that may require code modifications for older PHP 5 code and web applications. This is especially important to note, as PHP 5.6 will no longer receive security updates after December 2018, leaving your website or application vulnerable.

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PHP 7.3 saw a significant performance boost, with notable gains in various applications.

WordPress + WooCommerce experienced a 12.5% increase in performance, making it a great example of how updates can benefit your site.

Drupal 8 saw a 11.2% performance gain, a clear indication that upgrading can lead to improved speed.

Magento 2.3.0 also benefited from PHP 7.3, with an 11% performance boost.

Most application frameworks saw around a 5% gain in performance, a smaller but still significant improvement.

Here's a quick rundown of the performance improvements in PHP 7.3:

If you're still running on PHP 7.3, it's worth considering an update to take advantage of the latest performance improvements.

PHP 7 introduced a lot of changes to PHP, including library and function changes. This means that older code may not run smoothly on newer servers.

After December 2018, PHP 5.6 will no longer get security updates, leaving your website or application vulnerable.

PHP 7.1 requires code modifications for older PHP 5 code and web applications to run properly. This is because the changes in PHP 7 are quite significant.

If you're still using PHP 5.6, you should plan to upgrade to a newer version as soon as possible to stay secure.

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PHP 7 introduced several changes and deprecations that developers should be aware of.

The "define()" function, used to declare a constant, now has a deprecated flag that previously allowed referencing the constant case insensitively.

Developers should be aware that the default behavior of "define()" is now case sensitive, consistent with how constants are declared with the "const" keyword.

PHP 7.3 also introduced deprecations to remove inconsistent behavior, making the code more reliable and maintainable.

Get Support for PHP 7.3 is available through Zend Long Term Support (LTS), which keeps your apps secure through 2026.

You can upgrade on your schedule and maintain compliance standards with patched PHP 7.3 builds.

Zend LTS offers 24/7/365 support to help you with any issues or questions you may have.

You can explore LTS options and see migration services to make the process as smooth as possible.

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PHP 7.x has brought significant improvements to the language, and one of the key areas of focus has been the type system. Here are the key takeaways:

PHP 7.0 introduced scalar type declarations for strings, integers, floating-point numbers, and booleans, which helps ensure that variables are used correctly.

Scalar type declarations include support for return type declarations, making it easier to define the expected return types of functions.

PHP 7.1 added support for nullable parameter types and return types, allowing developers to specify that a parameter or return type can be null.

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Void is a valid return type as of PHP 7.1, which can be useful in certain situations where a function does not return a value.

PHP 7.1 also introduced a new compound type called iterable, which allows developers to work with arrays and other iterable data types in a more flexible way.

Here's a summary of the key type system changes in PHP 7.x:

Releasing and upgrading your PHP code is a crucial part of maintaining a smooth and efficient website.

We update, rewrite, and upgrade the code and libraries to be completely compatible with the latest version of PHP 7.x.

This ensures that your website remains secure and performs well, even with the latest updates.

Contact us to get a completely free, no obligation code review to see how we can help.

The preg_replace_callback_array() function in PHP 7 allows for cleaner code by enabling callbacks to be registered to each regular expression using an associative array.

This means that callbacks no longer need to be cluttered with branching code to handle different regular expressions. Prior to PHP 7, this was a common issue.

You can now use an associative array where the key is a regular expression and the value is a callback, making your code more organized and efficient.

The new iterable type in PHP 7.1 is a compound type that allows for more flexibility in function parameters and return types.

It can be used as a parameter type or return type, and it accepts arrays or objects that implement the Traversable interface. This means you can iterate over the iterable using foreach.

You can declare a function with a parameter type of iterable, which may have a default value of NULL or an array. This is demonstrated in the iter.php script.

The iterable type also supports full contravariance and covariance, which means you can widen parameter types or narrow return types.

In the iter_extend_ret_type.php script, you can see an example of covariance and contravariance with iterable. A class is declared with an iterator function that has an array parameter and nullable iterable return type.

This iterator function can be overridden in a subclass with an iterable parameter and nullable array return type, as shown in the script.

Functions with return type iterable can also be used as generators, which is demonstrated in the iterable_gen.php script. A generator function is created with return type iterable and yields some values, which are then output.

The generator function's return value is also obtained using the getReturn() function and output.

Constant arrays can now be defined with define(). In PHP 5.6, they could only be defined with const.

Defining array constants with define() is a more flexible approach. It allows for greater control over the array's values.

Before PHP 5.6, array constants were limited to const. This restriction has been lifted, making define() a viable alternative.

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The preg_replace_callback_array() function is a game-changer for clean code. It allows you to register callbacks to each regular expression using an associative array, where the key is a regular expression and the value is a callback.

Prior to PHP 7, callbacks required lots of branching, but with preg_replace_callback_array(), you can write code more cleanly. This function is a great improvement over the older preg_replace_callback() function.

Callbacks can now be registered to each regular expression using an associative array, making it easier to manage complex regular expression patterns.