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Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2026 20:16:39 +0100
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Subject: [PHP-DEV] Proposal for functions that handle prefixes and suffixes
To: PHP internals <internals@lists.php.net>
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From: barel.barelon@gmail.com (Barel)

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Hi

I have just created a PR with the implementation of six new functions which
can be used to manage suffixes and prefixes in strings. I did not actually
plan to create the PR just yet, I just wanted to add the implementation as
a sample of what I wanted to achieve and wanted to create the PR in my own
fork but somehow I managed to actually create it in the main repo.

This is the PR https://github.com/php/php-src/pull/20953

Nevertheless, the idea is that in php code many times we have to deal with
prefixes or suffixes of strings, this comes up a lot when you are dealing
with file names or urls. Some examples

- If the domain includes a initial www part, remove it
- If the filename includes the .png extension, remove it
- If the URL does not include the http:// schema, add it
- If the URL is missing a trailing slash, add it
- If the URL starts with http://, change it to https://
- If the filename ends in .jpeg, change it to .jpg
- etc...

It is not too difficult to implement this functionality by using the
str_starts_with, str_ends_with and the substr functions or with
preg_replace but I think it would be good to have some functions that can
perform these operations in a single step, creating code which is simpler
to write and to understand

My proposal adds six functions:

function add_prefix(string $source, string $prefix): string
function add_suffix(string $source, string $suffix): string

Add a prefix or suffix to a string *only if the string does not yet have it*

function remove_prefix(string $source, string $prefix): string
function remove_suffix(string $source, string $suffix): string

Remove a prefix or suffix from a string if the string has it

function replace_prefix(string $source, string $prefix, string $replace):
string
function replace_suffix(string $source, string $suffix, string $replace):
string

Replace a prefix or suffix in a string it the string has it

I would like to know if the internals people think that the addition of
these functions would be interesting. If there is some interest I will
prepare a full RFC

This is my first contribution to php-src so I would be grateful for any
advice or hints :-)

Cheers

Carlos

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<div dir=3D"ltr">Hi<br><br>I have just created a PR with the implementation=
 of six new functions which can be used to manage suffixes and prefixes in =
strings. I did not actually plan to create the PR just yet, I just wanted t=
o add the implementation as a sample of what I wanted to achieve and wanted=
 to create the PR in my own fork but somehow I managed to actually create i=
t in the main repo.<br><br>This is the PR=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://github.co=
m/php/php-src/pull/20953">https://github.com/php/php-src/pull/20953</a><br>=
<br>Nevertheless, the idea is that in php code many times we have to deal w=
ith prefixes or suffixes of strings, this comes up a lot when you are deali=
ng with file names or urls. Some examples<br><br>- If the domain includes a=
 initial www part, remove it<br>- If the filename includes the .png extensi=
on, remove it<br>- If the URL does not include the http:// schema, add it<b=
r>- If the URL is missing a trailing slash, add it<br>- If the URL starts w=
ith http://, change it to https://<br>- If the filename ends in .jpeg, chan=
ge it to .jpg<br>- etc...<br><br>It is not too difficult to implement this =
functionality by using the str_starts_with, str_ends_with and the substr fu=
nctions or with preg_replace but I think it would be good to have some func=
tions that can perform these operations in a single step, creating code whi=
ch is simpler to write and to understand<br><br>My proposal adds six functi=
ons:<br><br>function add_prefix(string $source, string $prefix): string<div=
>function add_suffix(string $source, string $suffix): string</div><div><br>=
</div><div>Add a prefix or suffix to a string *only if the string does not =
yet have it*<br><br>function remove_prefix(string $source, string $prefix):=
 string<br>function remove_suffix(string $source, string $suffix): string<b=
r><br>Remove a prefix or suffix from a string if the string has it<br><br>f=
unction replace_prefix(string $source, string $prefix, string $replace): st=
ring<br>function replace_suffix(string $source, string $suffix, string $rep=
lace): string<br><br>Replace a prefix or suffix in a string it the string h=
as it<br><br>I would like to know if the internals people think that the ad=
dition of these functions would be interesting. If there is some interest I=
 will prepare a full RFC<br><br>This is my first contribution to php-src so=
 I would be grateful for any advice or hints :-)<br><br>Cheers<br><br>Carlo=
s</div><div><br></div></div>

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