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Before creating = a > > formal RFC, I'm seeking feedback on the concept and approach. > > > > =3D=3D Summary =3D=3D > > > > The proposal adds: > > > > interface BackedEnum { > > public static function values(): array; > > } > > > > This would allow: > > > > enum Status: string { > > case Active =3D 'active'; > > case Inactive =3D 'inactive'; > > } > > > > Status::values(); // ['active', 'inactive'] > > > > =3D=3D Motivation =3D=3D > > > > This pattern is extremely common in the wild. Based on GitHub code > search: > > > > * ~3,860+ direct implementations of this exact pattern > > * ~20,000-40,000 estimated real usage when accounting for shared trai= ts > > * Used in major frameworks: Symfony core (TypeIdentifier.php), > > Laravel ecosystem > > * Documented by PHP.net: The manual itself shows EnumValuesTrait as > > an example > > Correction: The manual does not show an EnumValuesTrait that I can find. > There is a *comment* in the manual that includes this method, but that's > not part of the manual proper, and frankly 90% of comments in the manual > should be removed. (cf: > https://www.php.net/manual/en/language.enumerations.traits.php#129250) > > > Common use cases: > > * Database migrations: $table->enum('status', Status::values()) > > * Form validation: $validator->rule('status', 'in', Status::values()) > > * API responses: ['allowed_statuses' =3D> Status::values()] > > > > =3D=3D Implementation =3D=3D > > > > I have a working implementation with tests: > > https://github.com/php/php-src/pull/20398 > > > > The implementation: > > * Mirrors the existing cases() method structure > > * Extracts the value property from each case > > * Returns an indexed array (0, 1, 2, ...) > > * Only available on BackedEnum, not UnitEnum > > * All tests pass > > I am unclear why this is a major advantage over > array_column(Status::cases(), 'value'); > > > =3D=3D Backward Compatibility - Important Discussion Point =3D=3D > > > > This is a breaking change. Enums that already define a values() method > > will fail with: > > > > Fatal error: Cannot redeclare BackedEnum::values() > > > > Based on ecosystem research: > > * ~24,000-44,000 enum instances will break > > * All implementations are functionally identical to what's being > proposed > > * Migration is mechanical: just delete the user-defined method > > This is a hard-stop. There are hundreds of thousands of packages in the > wild that need to support multiple PHP versions. Nearly all packaglist > packages (which I presume is where you're drawing the research from; eith= er > that or GitHub which will give a similar result set) support at least two > consecutive versions, if not 4, 5, or 6. > > A hard break like this would essentially mean the packages containing > those 40,000 enums would be unable to support both PHP 8.5 and 8.6 at the > same time. That's simply not an acceptable impact on the ecosystem, > regardless of how nice the feature may or may not be. > > --Larry Garfield > We could add a virtual $values property. Since enum properties are not allowed in userland, it will not break any existing code. =E2=80=94 Valentin > --0000000000008bd3500642f94b17 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
=D1=87=D1=82, 6 =D0=BD=D0=BE=D1=8F=D0= =B1. 2025=E2=80=AF=D0=B3., 19:30 Larry Garfield <larry@garfieldtech.com>:
O= n Wed, Nov 5, 2025, at 10:09 PM, Mikhail Savin wrote:
> Hi internals,
>
> I would like to propose adding a native values() method to the BackedE= num
> interface that returns an array of all backing values. Before creating= a
> formal RFC, I'm seeking feedback on the concept and approach.
>
> =3D=3D Summary =3D=3D
>
> The proposal adds:
>
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0interface BackedEnum {
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0public static function values(): arra= y;
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0}
>
> This would allow:
>
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0enum Status: string {
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0case Active =3D 'active';
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0case Inactive =3D 'inactive';=
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0}
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0Status::values(); // ['active', 'inacti= ve']
>
> =3D=3D Motivation =3D=3D
>
> This pattern is extremely common in the wild. Based on GitHub code sea= rch:
>
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0* ~3,860+ direct implementations of this exact pattern
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0* ~20,000-40,000 estimated real usage when accounting for = shared traits
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0* Used in major frameworks: Symfony core (TypeIdentifier.p= hp),
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0Laravel ecosystem
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0* Documented by PHP.net: The manual itself shows EnumValue= sTrait as
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0an example

Correction: The manual does not show an EnumValuesTrait that I can find.=C2= =A0 There is a *comment* in the manual that includes this method, but that&= #39;s not part of the manual proper, and frankly 90% of comments in the man= ual should be removed.=C2=A0 (cf: https://www.php.net/manual/en/language.enumerations.traits.ph= p#129250)

> Common use cases:
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0* Database migrations: $table->enum('status', S= tatus::values())
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0* Form validation: $validator->rule('status', &= #39;in', Status::values())
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0* API responses: ['allowed_statuses' =3D> Statu= s::values()]
>
> =3D=3D Implementation =3D=3D
>
> I have a working implementation with tests:
> https://github.com/php/php-src/pull/20398
>
> The implementation:
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0* Mirrors the existing cases() method structure
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0* Extracts the value property from each case
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0* Returns an indexed array (0, 1, 2, ...)
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0* Only available on BackedEnum, not UnitEnum
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0* All tests pass

I am unclear why this is a major advantage over array_column(Status::cases(= ), 'value');

> =3D=3D Backward Compatibility - Important Discussion Point =3D=3D
>
> This is a breaking change. Enums that already define a values() method=
> will fail with:
>
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0Fatal error: Cannot redeclare BackedEnum::values()<= br> >
> Based on ecosystem research:
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0* ~24,000-44,000 enum instances will break
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0* All implementations are functionally identical to what&#= 39;s being proposed
>=C2=A0 =C2=A0* Migration is mechanical: just delete the user-defined me= thod

This is a hard-stop.=C2=A0 There are hundreds of thousands of packages in t= he wild that need to support multiple PHP versions.=C2=A0 Nearly all packag= list packages (which I presume is where you're drawing the research fro= m; either that or GitHub which will give a similar result set) support at l= east two consecutive versions, if not 4, 5, or 6.

A hard break like this would essentially mean the packages containing those= 40,000 enums would be unable to support both PHP 8.5 and 8.6 at the same t= ime.=C2=A0 That's simply not an acceptable impact on the ecosystem, reg= ardless of how nice the feature may or may not be.

--Larry Garfield


<= blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px= #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
--0000000000008bd3500642f94b17--