PHP's Oddities

4 days ago

PHP often receives criticism based on outdated perceptions; modern versions are versatile and feature-rich.
PHP's arrays are actually ordered key-value dictionaries, which can lead to unexpected behavior during mutations like sorting or filtering.
Using functions such as array_filter() or unset() can disrupt array indices, requiring array_values() to reset them.
Class property types in PHP introduce an 'uninitialized' state distinct from NULL, causing fatal errors if accessed before initialization.
Untyped properties default to NULL, but typed properties (including nullable ones) remain uninitialized by default unless explicitly set.
The type system's quirks, combined with dynamic property addition, complicate defensive coding and object structure clarity.
Despite its quirks, PHP offers low development friction, effective frameworks like Laravel, and remains capable for various tasks.

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