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Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2025 13:24:46 +0100
Message-ID: <CAMkukMwBXU=49OEtDpp0e_TVRyj3hoiMFsu_BKXnCmwhY2=emA@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [DISCUSSION] Ternary nullcoalesce operator
To: Mihail Liahimov <91liahim@gmail.com>
Cc: PHP internals <internals@lists.php.net>
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From: hello@faizanakram.me (Faizan Akram Dar)

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On Thu, 20 Feb 2025, 13:15 Mihail Liahimov, <91liahim@gmail.com> wrote:

> Now we have nullcoalesca operator in PHP:
>
> $a = $a ?? $b;
>
> And nullcoalesce assignment operator:
>
> $a ??= $b;
>
> (which is equivalent of previous example with nullcoalesce operator).
>
> Also we have a short syntax for ternary operator:
>
> $a = $a ?: $b;
>
> which is equivalent to:
>
> $a = $a ? $b : $a;
>
> Maybe we can make a syntax for assignment with short ternary operator?
> Somethink like that:
>
> $a ?:= $b;
>
> which would be an equivalent of:
>
> $a = $a ?: $b;
>
> I now, this looks ugly, but maybe we can find another tokens for this
> assignments?
>

Hi,

I think it is a very bad idea. Unlike null coalescing (??), short ternary
(?:) operates on all truthy and falsy values, that is, it implicitly
coerces values into boolean before deciding which side to return. This
makes it error prone and has led to countless bugs in userland code.

There is a reason static analysis warns against usage of such constructs.


Kind regards,
Faizan

>

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<div dir=3D"auto"><div><br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_contai=
ner"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Thu, 20 Feb 2025, 13:15 Mihai=
l Liahimov, &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:91liahim@gmail.com">91liahim@gmail.com</a=
>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0=
 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr">Now w=
e have nullcoalesca operator in PHP:<br><br>$a =3D $a ?? $b;<br><br>And nul=
lcoalesce=C2=A0assignment operator:<br><br>$a ??=3D $b;<br><br>(which is eq=
uivalent=C2=A0of previous example with nullcoalesce=C2=A0operator).<br><br>=
Also we have a short syntax for ternary operator:<br><br>$a =3D $a ?: $b;<b=
r><br>which is equivalent=C2=A0to:<br><br>$a =3D $a ? $b : $a;<br><br>Maybe=
 we can make a syntax for assignment with short ternary operator?<br>Someth=
ink like that:<br><br>$a ?:=3D $b;<br><br>which would be an equivalent=C2=
=A0of:<br><br>$a =3D $a ?: $b;<br><br>I now, this looks ugly, but maybe we =
can find another tokens for this assignments?</div></blockquote></div></div=
><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Hi,</div><div dir=3D"auto"><=
br></div><div dir=3D"auto">I think it is a very bad idea. Unlike null coale=
scing (??), short ternary (?:) operates on all truthy and falsy values, tha=
t is, it implicitly coerces values into boolean before deciding which side =
to return. This makes it error prone and has led to countless bugs in userl=
and code.=C2=A0</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">There is=
 a reason static analysis warns against usage of such constructs.=C2=A0</di=
v><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto"=
>Kind regards,</div><div dir=3D"auto">Faizan</div><div dir=3D"auto"><div cl=
ass=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote"=
 style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
</blockquote></div></div></div>

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