CHAPTER 2PHP and Objects

Objects were not always a key part of the PHP project. In fact, they have been described as an afterthought by PHP's designers.

As afterthoughts go, this one has proved remarkably resilient. In this chapter, I introduce coverage of objects by summarizing the development of PHP's object-oriented features.

We will look at

  • PHP/FI 2.0: PHP, but not as we know it.
  • PHP 3: Objects make their first appearance.
  • PHP 4: Object-oriented programming grows up.
  • PHP 5: Objects at the heart of the language.
  • PHP 6: A glimpse of the future

The Accidental Success of PHP Objects

With so many object-oriented PHP libraries and applications in circulation, to say nothing of PHP 5's extensive object enhancements, the rise of the object in ...

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