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Date: Sat, 05 Apr 2025 20:41:23 +0200
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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] RFC: blank() Function as a Complement to empty()
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From: rob@bottled.codes ("Rob Landers")

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On Sat, Apr 5, 2025, at 20:25, Bilge wrote:
> On 05/04/2025 15:32, Kamil Tekiela wrote:
> >
> > While it has its uses empty() should be avoided whenever possible.
> >
> Agree. A better RFC would be to just deprecate `empty()`.
>=20
> Cheers,
> Bilge
>=20

empty() has very many uses. Once you understand what it is shorthand for=
, it makes a lot of sense to use it how it was meant to be used. For exa=
mple:

empty($var) ?: foo($var);

which is just shorter than:

if (isset($var) && $varl !=3D false) {
  foo($bool);
}

Generally, you don't use empty() on strings though, just arrays, in my s=
tyle guides anyway. For strings, you use `$string =3D=3D ""` or to be mo=
re proper, maybe=20

trim($value ?? '') =3D=3D ''

... but these days, trim doesn't accept `null`, so that makes it a bit m=
ore wordy than it really should be. However, it is just a deprecation no=
tice, so it is easy to ignore. For now.

=E2=80=94 Rob
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<!DOCTYPE html><html><head><title></title><style type=3D"text/css">p.Mso=
Normal,p.MsoNoSpacing{margin:0}</style></head><body><div>On Sat, Apr 5, =
2025, at 20:25, Bilge wrote:<br></div><blockquote type=3D"cite" id=3D"qt=
" style=3D""><div>On 05/04/2025 15:32, Kamil Tekiela wrote:<br></div><di=
v>&gt;<br></div><div>&gt; While it has its uses empty() should be avoide=
d whenever possible.<br></div><div>&gt;<br></div><div>Agree. A better RF=
C would be to just deprecate `empty()`.<br></div><div><br></div><div>Che=
ers,<br></div><div>Bilge<br></div><div><br></div></blockquote><div><br><=
/div><div>empty() has very many uses. Once you understand what it is sho=
rthand for, it makes a lot of sense to use it how it was meant to be use=
d. For example:<br></div><div><br></div><div>empty($var) ?: foo($var);<b=
r></div><div><br></div><div>which is just shorter than:<br></div><div><b=
r></div><div>if (isset($var) &amp;&amp; $varl !=3D false) {<br></div><di=
v>&nbsp; foo($bool);<br></div><div>}<br></div><div><br></div><div>Genera=
lly, you don't use empty() on strings though, just arrays, in my style g=
uides anyway. For strings, you use `$string =3D=3D ""` or to be more pro=
per, maybe <br></div><div><br></div><div>trim($value ?? '') =3D=3D ''<br=
></div><div><br></div><div> ... but these days, trim doesn't accept `nul=
l`, so that makes it a bit more wordy than it really should be. However,=
 it is just a deprecation notice, so it is easy to ignore. For now.<br><=
/div><div><br></div><div id=3D"sig121229152">=E2=80=94 Rob<br></div></bo=
dy></html>
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