PHP Type System Explained: How Modern Type Declarations Will Make You a Better PHP Developer

You will learn to: Grasp the Fundamentals: Understand the core concepts of type systems (Static vs. Dynamic, Strong vs. Weak) and see where PHP fits in, appreciating its journey from a loosely-typed language to a modern, stricter one. Avoid Historical Pitfalls: Master the dangers of automatic type juggling and loose comparisons (==). You'll learn why 0 == "a" is true in PHP and how to permanently avoid such bugs using strict comparisons (===) and defensive type-checking functions. Master the PHP 7 Revolution: Implement the game-changing features introduced in PHP 7. This includes declaring scalar parameter types (int, string, bool, float), specifying function return types, and using nullable types (?string) to handle optional values gracefully. Take Full Control with Strict Mode: Understand the critical difference between PHP's default coercive type mode and strict mode. You'll learn how, when, and why to use declare(strict_types=1); to enforce exact type matches and prevent unintended type conversions. Leverage Modern PHP 8+ Features: Wield the powerful and expressive types introduced in PHP 8 and beyond. Union Types: Define parameters or properties that can accept multiple distinct types, like intfloat. Intersection Types: Require objects to satisfy multiple contracts simultaneously, such as LoggerInterface&FormatterInterface. readonly Properties: Create immutable Value Objects and Data Transfer Objects (DTOs) whose properties cannot be changed after initialization. mixed, never, and static: Use mixed to explicitly allow any type, never to signify functions that always exit or throw, and static for more powerful factory patterns. Improve Code Quality and Maintainability: Discover how a well-typed codebase leads to fewer bugs, better self-documentation, and superior IDE support with more accurate autocompletion and error detection. Harness Static Analysis: Learn how modern types enable powerful static analysis tools like PHPStan and Psalm to find bugs in your code before it ever runs, dramatically increasing code reliability. Apply Types in Real-World Scenarios: Move beyond theory to practical application. You will learn to design robust services, build clear APIs, and implement strategies for gradually introducing strong typing into existing legacy projects without causing disruption. Look to the Future: Get a glimpse of what's next for PHP's type system, including highly anticipated features like Generics and typed arrays, ensuring your skills remain current.