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Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2025 09:54:01 +0200
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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [RFC] Nullable and non-nullable cast operators
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From: rob@bottled.codes ("Rob Landers")

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On Sat, Oct 25, 2025, at 09:40, Aleksander Machniak wrote:
> On 24.10.2025 09:07, Alexandre Daubois wrote:
> > Please find the details here:
> > https://wiki.php.net/rfc/nullable-not-nullable-cast-operator
> I see two issues here, and I'm not sure how I feel about them.
>=20
> 1. The new operators not only change how NULL is handled, but also add=20
> validation rules. So, their name should be changed, maybe "nullable=20
> validating cast". I guess "strict" word would not work as they aren't=20
> really strict.
>=20
> 2. They are supposed to have behavior in line with function arguments,=20
> but they don't react to strict_types.

The RFC says: "using *weak mode function parameter coercion* (stricter t=
han traditional casts)." (emphasis not mine) If it were to act like stri=
ct-mode arguments, it=E2=80=99d be more like a type-check than a cast. T=
he entire point of a cast is to "turn one type into another" and strict =
mode doesn=E2=80=99t do that at all. Parameter coercion in non-strict mo=
de (I hesitate to call it "weak mode" because in some ways it=E2=80=99s =
stronger than strict mode) is a well-documented behaviour, and if you=E2=
=80=99re used to working with it, this is a welcome addition, IMHO.

=E2=80=94 Rob
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<!DOCTYPE html><html><head><title></title></head><body><div><br></div><d=
iv><br></div><div>On Sat, Oct 25, 2025, at 09:40, Aleksander Machniak wr=
ote:</div><blockquote type=3D"cite" id=3D"qt" style=3D""><div>On 24.10.2=
025 09:07, Alexandre Daubois wrote:</div><div>&gt; Please find the detai=
ls here:</div><div>&gt;&nbsp;<a href=3D"https://wiki.php.net/rfc/nullabl=
e-not-nullable-cast-operator">https://wiki.php.net/rfc/nullable-not-null=
able-cast-operator</a></div><div>I see two issues here, and I'm not sure=
 how I feel about them.</div><div><br></div><div>1. The new operators no=
t only change how NULL is handled, but also add&nbsp;</div><div>validati=
on rules. So, their name should be changed, maybe "nullable&nbsp;</div><=
div>validating cast". I guess "strict" word would not work as they aren'=
t&nbsp;</div><div>really strict.</div><div><br></div><div>2. They are su=
pposed to have behavior in line with function arguments,&nbsp;</div><div=
>but they don't react to strict_types.</div></blockquote><div><br></div>=
<div>The RFC says: "<span class=3D"color" style=3D"color:rgb(51, 51, 51)=
;">using&nbsp;</span><b>weak mode function parameter coercion</b><span c=
lass=3D"color" style=3D"color:rgb(51, 51, 51);">&nbsp;(stricter than tra=
ditional casts)." (emphasis not mine) If it were to act like strict-mode=
 arguments, it=E2=80=99d be more like a type-check than a cast. The enti=
re point of a cast is to "turn one type into another" and strict mode do=
esn=E2=80=99t do that at all. Parameter coercion in non-strict mode (I h=
esitate to call it "weak mode" because in some ways it=E2=80=99s stronge=
r than strict mode) is a well-documented behaviour, and if you=E2=80=99r=
e used to working with it, this is a welcome addition, IMHO.</span><br><=
/div><div><br></div><div id=3D"sig121229152">=E2=80=94 Rob</div></body><=
/html>
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