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Message-ID: <C30D6E89-9521-4106-B55A-590CCD3F4986@joshbruce.dev>
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 2020 19:56:35 -0500
To: Internals <internals@lists.php.net>
Subject: [Concept] Don't cast keys in array to int
From: josh@joshbruce.dev (Josh Bruce)

I=E2=80=99m sure this conversation has happened before. But it=E2=80=99s =
on my mind as I work on some things on wanted to ask internals real =
quick before getting back to it.

[=E2=80=9C2=E2=80=9D =3D> =E2=80=9Chello=E2=80=9D, =E2=80=9C4=E2=80=9D =
=3D> =E2=80=9Cinternals=E2=80=9D] -> [2 =3D> =E2=80=9Chello=E2=80=9D, 4 =
=3D> =E2=80=9Cinternals=E2=80=9D]

Meanwhile:

[=E2=80=9Chello=E2=80=9D, =E2=80=9Cinternals=E2=80=9D] -> cast to object =
-> (=E2=80=9C0=E2=80=9D =3D> =E2=80=9Chello=E2=80=9D, =E2=80=9C2=E2=80=9D =
=3D> =E2=80=9Cinternals=E2=80=9D)

Curious why this it=E2=80=99s the case that specifically requesting a =
string be a key that happens to be an integer, becomes an int type.

I kind of understand why in the case of object the implicit =
(PHP-established) integers become strings.

And, of course, casting back puts us back to an indexed array. I=E2=80=99v=
e picked up that type juggling might be a touchy point - but the focus =
is on why the key gets cast at all when it=E2=80=99s an array type.

Is it to facilitate the type juggle from an object to an array??

Cheers,
Josh=