Martin Scotta
On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:58 PM, Ben Schmidt <mail_ben_schm...@yahoo.com.au > wrote: > FWIW, I don't see much point in this either, as far as error reporting is > concerned. I think type checking for parameters can provide cheap and useful > validation, as parameters passed in are outside the function's control. But > return values? They are within the function's control, and in most functions > are not hard to ensure are correct without needing runtime checking. > > If PHP were compiled, not interpreted, i.e. less dynamic, there could be > some benefits, as compile-time optimisations could perhaps be built in, and > validations skipped if they were provably unnecessary. But that's not going > to happen any time soon, as far as I'm aware. > Yes, PHP is interpreted, but remember that PHP has its own "compile-time". An option could be to use the "hints" only for compile purposes, but then at runtime the core can behave as it's today. > > So the only real benefit is that they could make code slightly > self-documenting. But since they would still be optional, they don't help > much: the coder might as well take up the option to write some more useful > documentation. > > Also, PHP has so many conventions such as returning false on error that > don't fit cleanly into the model, that it's awkward. I'd love to see those > problems solved neatly for function arguments before extending anything to > function return types. > > I don't think it would do any harm though, so don't see any argument > against it. I just don't think there's a good argument for it. > Ben. > > > > > On 28/04/11 6:23 PM, Stas Malyshev wrote: > >> Hi! >> >> http://wiki.php.net/rfc/returntypehint >>>> >>> for the upcoming 5.4 release, I think it would be extremely useful, even >>> without the scalar stuff. >>> >> >> >> Personally, I see even less point in having strict return typing (please >> stop >> using "hint" terminology, it confuses the whole matter, it's not "hint" if >> it >> describes mandatory restriction on the data) than strict argument typing. >> The RFC >> doesn't explain it either beyond "here how you can have some nice errors". >> But why would I want to see these errors? How they would make anything >> easier or >> better? >> > > -- > PHP Internals - PHP Runtime Development Mailing List > To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php > >
