PHP 7: Enhancing Code Security and Efficiency
Scalar Type Declarations
In PHP 7, developers can now declare scalar types for function parameters and return types, making the code more readable and maintainable. This feature allows for more precise type checking, reducing the likelihood of type-related errors.
$username = $_GET['user'] ?? 'nobody';
$username = isset($_GET['user']) ? $_GET['user'] : 'nobody';
Null Merge Operator
The null merge operator (??) is a new feature in PHP 7 that allows developers to provide a default value when a variable is null. This operator can be used in conjunction with the null coalescing operator (?:).
Spacecraft Operator
The spacecraft operator (<=>) is a new comparison operator in PHP 7 that can be used to compare two expressions. When $a is less than, equal to, or greater than $b, respectively, it returns -1, 0, or 1.
echo 1.5 <=> 2.5; // -1
Array Type Constants
In PHP 7, array type constants can now be defined using the define() function. This feature allows developers to define constants as arrays, which can be useful for storing complex data structures.
define('COLORS', ['red', 'green', 'blue']);
Anonymous Classes
PHP 7 introduces anonymous classes, which allow developers to create classes without declaring them explicitly. Anonymous classes can be used to create objects that implement interfaces or extend other classes.
class A {
private $x = 1;
}
$getX = function () {
return $this->x;
};
echo $getX->call(new A);
Closure::call()
The Closure::call() method is a new feature in PHP 7 that allows developers to call a closure as a method on an object. This feature can be useful for creating objects that implement closures.
Unserialize() Filtering
The unserialize() function in PHP 7 provides a filtering feature that allows developers to prevent potential code injection attacks. This feature is designed to provide a more secure way to unserialize data.
unserialize('O:8:"stdClass":1:{s:4:"name";s:6:"John Doe";}');
IntlChar
The IntlChar class is a new feature in PHP 7 that provides a number of static methods for operating on multi-character Unicode character sets. This class is designed to expose more of ICU functions and can be used to perform Unicode-related operations.
Assert() Method
The assert() method is a new feature in PHP 7 that allows developers to make assertions enabled in a production environment with zero cost. This feature can be used to provide a specific exception when an assertion fails.
assert(false);
Group Use Declarations
In PHP 7, namespace imports can now be introduced through a single one-time use statement. This feature allows developers to import multiple classes, functions, and constants from the same namespace.
use A\B\C;
intdiv() Function
The intdiv() function is a new feature in PHP 7 that performs an integer division of its operands and returns the result.
echo intdiv(10, 3); // 3
Session Options
PHP 7 introduces a number of new session options that allow developers to configure session behavior. These options can be used to customize session settings and improve performance.
CSPRNG Functions
Two new functions have been added to PHP 7 to generate cryptographically secure integers and strings in a cross-platform way: random_bytes() and random_int(). These functions can be used to generate random numbers that are suitable for cryptographic purposes.
echo random_bytes(16);
echo random_int(1, 100);