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Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2025 19:42:04 +0100
Message-ID: <CAMkukMxwomRg43Ks=OosO0wAd1_hrGt16uQWM2uu9oh_aUn+dg@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [RFC] [Discussion] Add values() Method to BackedEnum
To: Mikhail Savin <mikhail.d.savin@gmail.com>
Cc: Derick Rethans <derick@php.net>, Valentin Udaltsov <udaltsov.valentin@gmail.com>, 
	php internals <internals@lists.php.net>
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From: hello@faizanakram.me (Faizan Akram Dar)

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On Wed, 12 Nov 2025, 19:30 Mikhail Savin, <mikhail.d.savin@gmail.com> wrote:

>
> Hi, guys, thanks for feedback
>
> Following the discussion with Alex and Derick, I've completed a
> comprehensive BC
> analysis. I need community input on a key decision: whether to include a
> return
> type in the interface declaration.
>
> ## The Two Options
>
> **Option A: WITH return type (current PR)**
> ```php
> interface BackedEnum {
>     public static function values(): array;
> }
> ```
> - BC Breaks: 71-600 implementations (1.0-8.8%)
> - Better type safety and IDE support
> - Consistent with cases(): array
>
> **Option B: WITHOUT return type (alternative)**
> ```php
> interface BackedEnum {
>     public static function values();
> }
> ```
> - BC Breaks: 0 (0%)
> - All existing implementations compatible
> - Can add `: array` in PHP 9.0
>
> ## BC Analysis Data
>
> Total enums with values(): 6,800
> - Compatible (: array): 6,200 (91.2%)
> - Missing return type: 64 (0.9%)
> - Wrong return types: 7 (0.1%)
> - Unaccounted: ~529 (7.8%)
>
> All GitHub search links: https://github.com/php/php-src/pull/20398
>
> ## Question for Community
>
> Which approach should we take for PHP 8.6?
>
> **Option A:** Accept 1-9% BC break for full type safety
> **Option B:** Zero BC breaks, add typing in PHP 9.0
>
> I'm inclined toward Option B (zero breaks for 8.6), but want to hear
> community
> preference before changing the implementation.
>
> Thoughts?
>
> ---
> Additional context:
> - Implementation change is trivial (one line)
> - Native implementation returns array regardless of interface
> - Alex's array_column suggestion incorporated (+3.6k usages)
> - All data verifiable via GitHub searches in PR
>
>
> Best regards, Mikhail
>
>

Hi Mikhail,

I personally don't see any added value by adding such a method to enums at
this point when getting the equivalent results is already possible by a one
liner.

`array_column(EnumFqcn::cases(), 'value');`



Kind regards,
Faizan

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<div dir=3D"auto"><div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div data-smartmail=3D=
"gmail_signature"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><table=
 border=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" style=3D"margin:0px;paddi=
ng:0px;border:0px;outline:0px;font-size:16px;font-family:proxima-nova-1,pro=
xima-nova-2,Tahoma,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;vertical-align:baseline;bor=
der-spacing:0px;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:22.4px;text-align:center"><=
tbody style=3D"margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;outline:0px;font-weight:in=
herit;font-style:inherit;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"><tr s=
tyle=3D"margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;outline:0px;font-weight:inherit;f=
ont-style:inherit;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"><td style=3D=
"padding:0px;border:0px;outline:0px;font-style:inherit;font-size:0px;font-f=
amily:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;text-align:left;width:auto;height:20p=
x"><span style=3D"font-size:large">On Wed, 12 Nov 2025, 19:30 Mikhail Savin=
, &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:mikhail.d.savin@gmail.com" rel=3D"noreferrer norefe=
rrer" target=3D"_blank">mikhail.d.savin@gmail.com</a>&gt; wrote:</span></td=
></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div></div><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><b=
lockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px =
#ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><d=
iv><br>Hi, guys, thanks for feedback<br><br></div>Following the discussion =
with Alex and Derick, I&#39;ve completed a comprehensive BC <br>analysis. I=
 need community input on a key decision: whether to include a return <br>ty=
pe in the interface declaration.<br><br>## The Two Options<br><br>**Option =
A: WITH return type (current PR)**<br>```php<br>interface BackedEnum {<br>=
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 public static function values(): array;<br>}<br>```<br>- BC B=
reaks: 71-600 implementations (1.0-8.8%)<br>- Better type safety and IDE su=
pport<br>- Consistent with cases(): array<br><br>**Option B: WITHOUT return=
 type (alternative)**<br>```php<br>interface BackedEnum {<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =
public static function values();<br>}<br>```<br>- BC Breaks: 0 (0%)<br>- Al=
l existing implementations compatible<br>- Can add `: array` in PHP 9.0<br>=
<br>## BC Analysis Data<br><br>Total enums with values(): 6,800<br>- Compat=
ible (: array): 6,200 (91.2%)<br>- Missing return type: 64 (0.9%)<br>- Wron=
g return types: 7 (0.1%)<br>- Unaccounted: ~529 (7.8%)<br><br>All GitHub se=
arch links: <a href=3D"https://github.com/php/php-src/pull/20398" rel=3D"no=
referrer noreferrer noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https://github.com/php/ph=
p-src/pull/20398</a><br><br>## Question for Community<br><br>Which approach=
 should we take for PHP 8.6?<br><br>**Option A:** Accept 1-9% BC break for =
full type safety<br>**Option B:** Zero BC breaks, add typing in PHP 9.0<br>=
<br>I&#39;m inclined toward Option B (zero breaks for 8.6), but want to hea=
r community <br>preference before changing the implementation.<br><br>Thoug=
hts?<br><br>---<br>Additional context:<br>- Implementation change is trivia=
l (one line)<br>- Native implementation returns array regardless of interfa=
ce<br>- Alex&#39;s array_column suggestion incorporated (+3.6k usages)<br><=
div>- All data verifiable via GitHub searches in PR=C2=A0<br><br><br></div>=
Best regards, Mikhail<br><br></div></div></blockquote></div></div><div dir=
=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Hi Mikhai=
l,</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">I personally don&#39;=
t see any added value by adding such a method to enums at this point when g=
etting the equivalent results is already possible by a one liner.=C2=A0</di=
v><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">`array_column(EnumFqcn::cas=
es(), &#39;value&#39;);`</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><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>

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