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Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2025 14:59:03 +0100
Message-ID: <CAHPs32B_vqqdWbovZmr3Y2w-3CU_ojt=HEEWsHJFuzEPwcf8Cg@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: [PHP-DEV] Proposal discussion: distinguishing "never assigned" vs "assigned null"
To: internals@lists.php.net
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From: subs@hichemtab-tech.me (Hichem Taboukouyout)

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Hello Internals of PHP,

I=E2=80=99d like to get feedback on a potential language feature before con=
sidering
whether it deserves an RFC.

Currently, PHP does not provide a general way to distinguish between:
- a variable or property that has never been assigned, and
- one that was explicitly assigned the value null.

isset() treats both cases identically, property_exists() only reflects
declarations, and ReflectionProperty::isInitialized() works only for typed
properties and does not help differentiate explicit null from absence in
the broader sense.

There are workarounds involving reflection and string-based
variable/property names, but these approaches rely on dynamic access, which
is not ideal for developer experience, particularly regarding static
analysis, IDE autocompletion, and refactoring safety.

I=E2=80=99m interested in hearing whether there is openness to exploring a =
built-in
mechanism that can reliably distinguish these states at the language level.

At this point I=E2=80=99m only seeking initial feedback to understand wheth=
er this
aligns with PHP=E2=80=99s direction, and whether it would be worth developi=
ng into
a formal RFC.

related issue: https://github.com/php/php-src/issues/20663

Thank you for your time.

-- Hichem Taboukouyout.

------------------------------

Hichem Taboukouyout
Full-stack Developer & Engineer in Industrial and Tertiary Systems (GSIT)

=F0=9F=8C=90 hichemtab-tech.me

=F0=9F=92=BB github.com/HichemTab-tech

=E2=9C=89=EF=B8=8F hichem.taboukouyout@hichemtab-tech.me

--=20

=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=
=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=
=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=
=E2=94=80
Hichem Taboukouyout
Full-stack Developer &=20
Engineer in Industrial and Tertiary Systems (GSIT)

=F0=9F=93=A7=20
hichem.taboukouyout@hichemtab-tech.me=20
<mailto:hichem.taboukouyout@hichemtab-tech.me>
=F0=9F=8C=90 hichemtab-tech.me=20
<http://hichemtab-tech.me>
LinkedIn:=20
https://dz.linkedin.com/in/hichem-taboukouyout=20
<https://dz.linkedin.com/in/hichem-taboukouyout>
GitHub:=20
github.com/HichemTab-tech <http://github.com/HichemTab-tech>

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr">Hello Internals of PHP,<br><br>I=E2=80=99=
d like to get feedback on a potential language feature before considering w=
hether it deserves an RFC.<br><br>Currently, PHP does not provide a general=
 way to distinguish between:<br>- a variable or property that has never bee=
n assigned, and<br>- one that was explicitly assigned the value null.<br><b=
r>isset() treats both cases identically, property_exists() only reflects de=
clarations, and ReflectionProperty::isInitialized() works only for typed pr=
operties and does not help differentiate explicit null from absence in the =
broader sense.<br><br>There are workarounds involving reflection and string=
-based variable/property names, but these approaches rely on dynamic access=
, which is not ideal for developer experience, particularly regarding stati=
c analysis, IDE autocompletion, and refactoring safety.<br><br>I=E2=80=99m =
interested in hearing whether there is openness to exploring a built-in mec=
hanism that can reliably distinguish these states at the language level.<br=
><br>At this point I=E2=80=99m only seeking initial feedback to understand =
whether this aligns with PHP=E2=80=99s direction, and whether it would be w=
orth developing into a formal RFC.<div><br></div><div>related issue:=C2=A0<=
a href=3D"https://github.com/php/php-src/issues/20663" target=3D"_blank">ht=
tps://github.com/php/php-src/issues/20663</a><br><br>Thank you for your tim=
e.<br></div><div><br></div><span class=3D"gmail_signature_prefix">-- Hichem=
 Taboukouyout.</span><div><br></div><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_signatu=
re" data-smartmail=3D"gmail_signature"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div><hr><p>Hichem =
Taboukouyout</p></div><div>Full-stack Developer &amp; Engineer in Industria=
l and Tertiary Systems (GSIT)</div><div></div><div>
<p>=F0=9F=8C=90 <a href=3D"https://hichemtab-tech.me/" target=3D"_blank">hi=
chemtab-tech.me</a></p><p>=F0=9F=92=BB <a href=3D"https://github.com/Hichem=
Tab-tech" target=3D"_blank">github.com/HichemTab-tech</a></p><p>
=E2=9C=89=EF=B8=8F <a href=3D"mailto:hichem.taboukouyout@hichemtab-tech.me"=
 target=3D"_blank">hichem.taboukouyout@hichemtab-tech.me</a></p></div></div=
></div></div>
</div>

<br>
<font face=3D"Arial"><br>=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=
=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=
=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=
=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80=E2=94=80<br>Hichem Taboukouyout<br>Full-stack D=
eveloper &amp; Engineer in Industrial and Tertiary Systems (GSIT)<br><br>=
=F0=9F=93=A7 <a href=3D"mailto:hichem.taboukouyout@hichemtab-tech.me" targe=
t=3D"_blank">hichem.taboukouyout@hichemtab-<wbr>tech.me</a><br>=F0=9F=8C=90=
 <a href=3D"http://hichemtab-tech.me" target=3D"_blank">hichemtab-tech.me</=
a><br>LinkedIn: <a href=3D"https://dz.linkedin.com/in/hichem-taboukouyout" =
target=3D"_blank">https://dz.linkedin.com/in/<wbr>hichem-taboukouyout</a><b=
r>GitHub: <a href=3D"http://github.com/HichemTab-tech" target=3D"_blank">gi=
thub.com/HichemTab-tech</a></font><br>
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