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Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2023 20:00:42 +0200
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Subject: Two new functions array_first() and array_last()
From: david@grudl.com (David Grudl)

PHP lacks two very basic functions for working with arrays:

- array_first() returning the first element of an array (or null)
- array_last() returning the last element of the array (or null)

While PHP has functions that return the first and last keys,
array_key_first() and array_key_last(), it does not have more useful
functions for values.

a) What about reset() and end()?
Programmers "abuse" the reset() and end() functions for this purpose.
The problem is that these functions are used to move the internal
pointer in the array. Which is why they have a name that is
inappropriate when used in the sense of "return me the first element".

Much worse, they shouldn't to be used to get first/last value, because
they have a side effect (i.e. moving the pointer).

Further, in the absence of an element, they return the obsolete false
and not the currently expected null, which can be combined with the ??
operator. In this they differ from the similar functions
array_key_first() and array_key_last().

b) What about $array[array_key_first($array)]?

For such basic functions as returning the first and last item in an
array, there should be a function in the basic package, not a
workaround. Moreover, this requires having the array in a local
variable, since $this->getFoo()[array_key_first($this->getFoo())]
would be very inefficient and possibly incorrect.

c) Two such functions were proposed and rejected during the
array_key_first/last RFC
(https://wiki.php.net/rfc/array_key_first_last)

Yes, that was in 2018. At that time, functions like str_contains() or
str_starts_with() wouldn't have even come into existence, just because
there was an obscure way to do it without them. I believe we've moved
on since then. Today we know how useful it is to use simple,
easy-to-understand methods, both for programmers who write and read
the code.

DG