CODEWITHSUNDEEP
phpfunction
Swader
Swader

Reputation: 11597

Defining multiple function argument types in PHP

Is it possible to define a function argument as multiple possible types? For example, a function may take a string or an integer to accomplish something. Is it possible to somehow define it like this?

    function something(int|string $token) {}

Or is only one type per argument supported?

(mind you, I know I can filter input later on, I just like to have my arguments typed)

Upvotes: 24

Views: 31424

Answers (4)

ShaneOH
ShaneOH

Reputation: 1555

2020 Update:

Union types have finally been implemented in PHP 8.0, which is due for release near the end of 2020.

They can be used like this:

class Number {
    private int|float $number;

    public function setNumber(int|float $number): void {
        $this->number = $number;
    }

    public function getNumber(): int|float {
        return $this->number;
    }
}

Upvotes: 47

Pauly
Pauly

Reputation: 299

No, it is not possible.

Also, type hinting in PHP 5 is now only for classes and arrays. http://php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.typehinting.php

class Foo
{
}

function something(Foo $Object){}

Upvotes: 3

symcbean
symcbean

Reputation: 48357

PHP is dynamically typed - but type hinting has been added to the language - so if you've not hinted the parameter you can pass any type you like:

function something($token) 
{
   if (is_numeric($token)) {
     // its a float, double, integer

   } else {
     // its a string, array, object
   }
}

(off the top of my head I'm not sure how resources are handled).

However if you want to program in a strongly typed language, then (IMHO) you should be using something other than PHP

Upvotes: 0

Palantir
Palantir

Reputation: 24182

The best you can do is called Type Hinting and is explained here:

http://php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.typehinting.php

In particular, you can hint a class type or an array type, but (as the manual says) "Traditional type hinting with int and string isn't supported." So I guess that what you are trying to accomplish is not possible at this level.

However, you can create your own wrappers, etc. There are probably a thousand ways to handle this.

Upvotes: 2

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