Detailed table of contents 2/4

New features

Named arguments

Attributes

DOM living standards APIs

Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS) (RFC 5652) support

Weak map

Detailed table of contents 3/4

New functions

match

str_contains

str_starts_with

str_ends_with

fdiv

get_resource_id

preg_last_error_msg

Detailed table of contents 4/4

Them Changes

Trailing comma in parameters list

Catch structure changes

Throw as an expression

array sorting functions are now stable

PhpTokenClass

Create Datetime From Interface

ext-json

Validation for abstract trait methods

PhpToken::getAll( )

2021 schedule, according to Gabriel Caruso

PHP 7.2 won't be supported anymore

 

Only security fixes will be applied to PHP 7.3

 

PHP 7.4 and PHP 8.0 will remained supported

PART III

JIT

NEW FEATURES

Release schedule

Them Changes

New functions

NEW FEATURES / ATTRIBUTES

Once called annotations, ATTRIBUTES carry metadata for classes, properties or methods.

ATTRIBUTES are usually introduced in docblocks with an @

With PHP 8.0, they are flagged with a different syntax even if their operating mode remains the same.

NEW FEATURES / ATTRIBUTES

PhpStorm 2020.3 suggests its own built-in Attributes (such as #[Deprecated, #[Pure] or #[Immutable]).
Learn more in this article.

REFLECTION API IMPROVEMENTS

NEW FEATURES / ATTRIBUTES

To access the Attributes info, a few changes have been added to the Reflection API.

For example, the function `getAttributes( )` retrieves the names and data of the Attributes associated with an object, a method, etc.

PART IV

JIT

New features

Release schedule

NEW FUNCTIONS

Them Changes

NEW FUNCTIONS / MATCH

SWITCH statements have been criticized for their tricky structure and their lack of flexibility.

MATCH is an alternative to SWITCH (SWITCH is still available). Results can be stored in variables. "Breaks" have been removed and "cases" have been replaced with arrow operators.

NEW FUNCTIONS / MATCH

MATCH structure is lighter and flexible. It is now possible to suggest multiple values and separate them with a comma.

NEW FUNCTIONS / MATCH

MATCH doesn't require a default option.

NEW FUNCTIONS / MATCH

However if the input that we seek to compare has no "match" (hehe) and the MATCH statement has no default option, it triggers an error.

NEW FUNCTIONS / MATCH

SWITCH allows large comparisons...

Unnecessary directive "strict-type" has been removed to avoid confusion

Switch operates a large comparison :

 '2'  == 2 is true.

NEW FUNCTIONS / MATCH

... whereas MATCH operates strict ones.

Match operates a strict comparison :

'2' === 2 is false

An UnhandledMatchError exception is thrown

NEW FUNCTIONS / MATCH

NEW FUNCTIONS / STR_CONTAINS

`STR_CONTAINS( )` checks if a string contains a given substring.

The comparison is case-sensitive.

NEW FUNCTIONS /STR_STARTS_WITH

`STR_STARTS_WITH( )` checks if a string starts with a given substring.

The comparison is case-sensitive.

NEW FUNCTIONS / STR_ENDS_WITH

`STR_ENDS_WITH( )` checks if a string ends with a given substring.

The comparison is case-sensitive.

NEW FUNCTIONS / FDIV

Dividing any int or float by zero used to be forbidden. It'd throw a `DivisionByZeroError`, whether we use `/`, `%`, `intdiv( )` or ` fmod( )`.

The new `FDIV( )` function works as the division operator.

 

But its advantage is that it allows the division of any int or float by zero. It doesn't throw an error. It returns `INF`, `- INF` or `NAN` instead.

These output are more informative and useful for debugging.

NEW FUNCTIONS / FDIV

In this example, the dividend is positive, so the output is INF

When a positive number is divided by zero, the output is `INF`.

NEW FUNCTIONS / FDIV

In this example, the dividend is negative, so the output is -INF

When a negative number is divided by zero, the output is `-INF`.

NEW FUNCTIONS / FDIV

In this example, the dividend is zero, so the output is NAN.

When the dividend and the divisor are zeroes, the output is `NAN`.

NEW FUNCTIONS / GET_RESOURCE_ID

RESOURCE is a PHP special type (like NULL). It designates data that are external to PHP.

There is a list of internal functions which create, use, handle or destroy resources.

For instance, the now deprecated `mysql_connect( )` function used to create a mysql link resource and open a connection to a MySQL database, whereas `mysql_close( )` (also deprecated) used to destroy the formerly created mysql link.

For more on this, see  : https://www.php.net/manual/fr/resource.php

NEW FUNCTIONS / GET_RESOURCE_ID

The `get_resource_type` function, which has first been introduced with PHP 4, allows to determine a resource type.

We've also been able to retrieve the id of a given resource by casting it to an integer.

After creating a temporary file resource, we cast it to an integer to force the retrieval of its id (here, it's 4). It is not safe.

NEW FUNCTIONS / GET_RESOURCE_ID

PHP 8 introduces the `get_resource_id` function, which makes the retrieval of a resource id easier.

After creating a temporary file resource, we call `get_resource_id( )` in order to retrieve its id (here, it's 4... again).

NEW FUNCTIONS / PREG_LAST_ERROR_MESSAGE

There are several PCRE functions. They use regex and find occurrences within strings. They start with prefix`preg_`, like `preg_match( )`.

PCRE means Perl Compatible Regular Expression. It designates what we usually call regex, or regular expressions.

While running theses functions, errors can be spotted in the structure of regex. A list of constants and their respective codes are designed to inform on the origin of theses errors.

NEW FUNCTIONS / PREG_LAST_ERROR_MESSAGE

PHP 8 introduces `preg_last_error_message( )`, which retrieves the error message (stored in a constant such as `PREG_BACKTRACK_LIMIT`).

We can read the error code thanks to `preg_last_error( )`.

PART V

JIT

New features

Release schedule

THEM CHANGES

New functions

THEM CHANGES / THROW AS AN EXPRESSION

THROW can be used as a statement

AND as an expression.

THEM CHANGES / THROW AS AN EXPRESSION

By the way, THROW can be used in MATCH statements.

THEM CHANGES / CATCH

We used to catch errors

by storing them in an exception.

THEM CHANGES / CATCH

Now we only need to specify the type of Exception.

Though, if we want to catch all errors, we can use THROWABLE as the Exception type.

THEM CHANGES / TRAILING COMMAS IN PARAMETERS LIST

THEM CHANGES / TRAILING COMMAS IN PARAMETERS LIST

There are also supported in USE list of closures.

Can be added here

THEM CHANGES / CREATE DATETIME OBJECTS FROM INTERFACE

DateTime and DateTimeImmutable objects are instances of DateTimeInterface. DateTime objects are mutable, whereas DateTimeImmutable objects return a new object when a modifier is applied on them.

We can create a DateTime object from a DateTimeImmutable object.

But creating a DateTimeImmutable object from a DateTime object is complicated.

THEM CHANGES / CREATE DATETIME OBJECTS FROM INTERFACE

This is why we can know turn a Datetime object into a DatetimeImmutable object, and vice versa by implementing new static method `createFromInterface`

THEM CHANGES / EXT-JSON

In previous versions of PHP, the `ext-json` extension was optional.

But as the community use JSON format a lot, it's appeared natural to include the extension in PHP.

Starting with PHP 8, the `ext-json` extension is always available. We can disable it if needed.

THEM CHANGES / ARRAY SORTING METHODS ARE NOW STABLE

For more on this, see RFC : https://wiki.php.net/rfc/stable_sorting

THEM CHANGES / PHPTOKEN CLASS

THEM CHANGES / VALIDATION OF ABSTRACT TRAITS METHODS

THEM CHANGES / DOM LIVING STANDARD API

PHP 8 introduction

By Cindy Liwenge

PHP 8 introduction

An overview of PHP 8 : performance, new features and BC breaks.

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