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Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2025 09:08:30 -0500
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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Split as an alias to explode
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From: larry@garfieldtech.com ("Larry Garfield")

On Mon, Aug 18, 2025, at 8:36 AM, Rowan Tommins [IMSoP] wrote:
> On 17/08/2025 18:15, Claude Pache wrote:
>> The difference of naming is probably the least problematic difference=
,=20
>> and attempting to reduce that specific difference without regard to=20
>> the other ones, won=E2=80=99t reduce confusion.
>
>
> As I said in my previous e-mail, I think this is a straw man argument.
>
> A developer coming to PHP from any combination of JavaScript, Perl, C#=
,=20
> Java, VisualBasic, Python, Ruby, Swift, Elixir, Dart, Rust, even Excel=20
> ... is going to look first for a function called "split" or some=20
> variation of that. If they have any common sense, they'll know they ne=
ed=20
> to look up exactly what arguments it needs, and what options it provid=
es.
>
> Unless for some reason they're familiar with the 1980s research langua=
ge=20
> Modula-3, or some equally obscure language not listed on the Rosetta=20
> Code page I linked, they are never going to look for a function called=20
> "explode".
>
> If we don't want to add an alias, we should probably add a fake manual=20
> entry pointing people in the right direction, like we have for "delete=
":=20
> https://www.php.net/delete
>
> --=20
> Rowan Tommins
> [IMSoP]

I'd prefer the doc page, frankly.  I agree our explode() is different en=
ough from what other languages have that there's little point in adding =
an alias, which would likely cause even more confusion.

If we ever manage to get methods on strings by some mechanism or another=
, we can consider naming that split() and having its behavior match that=
 in our sibling languages.  But for now, I'd prefer to not mess with it.

--Larry Garfield