I would like to pick up this discussion again - now that the return type hint
RFC has passed, congratulations :)
As a quick reminder, this discussion should not be whether we want to put the
return types on the left or on the right but mainly if we want to have
consistency (I do not want to downgrade the return type hint RFC either, that
is the reason why I have waited till the vote was closed). Once agreed upon
that consistency should be key when it comes down to the place of type hints,
we can then discuss what approach PHP shall take in the future (all left or all
right).
The more I think about it the more I am in favour of putting types on the right
hand side. I think it is more readable and less ambiguous. Consider the
following:
class A{
private Foo $a; //is "Foo" a modifier as well?
private static $b; //or is "static" a type?
}
vs.
class A{
private $a : Foo;
private static $b;
}
Assuming we will introduce parameter modifiers such as final or similar in the
future, then it is also less ambiguous for parameter type hints:
function foo(final A $a, final $b){}
vs
function foo(final $a : A, final $b){}
I am sure people will tell me that such a change (all types on the right,
parameter type hints as well) is huge BC and unfeasible. I would agree that it
is a huge BC but I would claim it is necessary and manageable. Code could be
migrated automatically with an appropriate tool and it does not need to happen
for PHP 7 but maybe for PHP 8. Besides, pretty much the same impact has the
return type RFC now, because the manual should be updated accordingly to
reflect the new syntax IMO. Sounds like lot of work but it should be possible
to migrate the docs with a tool. And it needs to be done IMO otherwise the
WTF/minute measurement will increase when using PHP (due to lot of "WTF! In the
docs the return types are on the left and in code they are on the right hand
side") - but maybe I am wrong.
Anyway, I am primarily in favour of consistency - regardless if all left or all
right - and mixing both styles is a very bad idea IMO - do you know any
language which has taken a mixed approach (besides Hack)?
Cheers,
Robert
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