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Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2025 16:19:53 +0100
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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [RFC] [Discussion] Add values() Method to BackedEnum
To: Faizan Akram Dar <hello@faizanakram.me>,
 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: tim@bastelstu.be (=?UTF-8?Q?Tim_D=C3=BCsterhus?=)

Hi

On 11/12/25 19:42, Faizan Akram Dar wrote:
> 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');`

I agree with that. I feel that BackedEnums are already over-used to the 
point where they just act as “fancy strings” instead of a proper data 
type on their own and I don't think we should further encourage treating 
enums as fancy strings.

In addition to that, a custom implementation of the method is trivially 
done as shown by Faizan and doesn't even need to be made available by 
the author of the enum but can be written on demand when having all 
values (without the corresponding names) is necessary.

And even when there is not a BC break right now, by not actually 
fixating the signature in the interface, it would be with PHP 9.0 and 
from then on it would (needlessly) block another method on enums that 
folks might otherwise be interested in using, since the name is very 
generic. Even when never adding it to the interface - static methods on 
interfaces are odd - it would break user expectations that some enum 
methods can be redefined and others can't.

Best regards
Tim Düsterhus