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References: <64953ec741a4c6609519e1878ad37b54@bastelstu.be>
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Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2026 19:51:31 +0700
Message-ID: <CAEZPtU4JBu_DxmUfYcsS3w7Rctu9cTmxyAk9BfvnCLAPwfoKbw@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [RFC] Partial Function Application for instance of
 non-static methods ("$this")
To: =?UTF-8?Q?Tim_D=C3=BCsterhus?= <tim@bastelstu.be>
Cc: php internals <internals@lists.php.net>, Arnaud Le Blanc <arnaud.lb@gmail.com>
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From: pierre.php@gmail.com (Pierre Joye)

Hi Tim,

On Thu, Jan 22, 2026 at 4:53=E2=80=AFPM Tim D=C3=BCsterhus <tim@bastelstu.b=
e> wrote:
>
> Hi
>
> Arnaud and I would like to start discussion on our RFC =E2=80=9CPartial F=
unction
> Application for instance of non-static methods ("$this")=E2=80=9D which i=
s
> intended to round-off the Partial Function Application RFC that was
> accepted recently:
>
> https://wiki.php.net/rfc/partial_function_application_this

I really like that feature.

The syntax however, including some proposed in this thread, makes
little sense to me.

It is also challenging as it targets 8.6. I am not sure it is a good
idea to rush and make bad compromises with the syntax because of BC or
other issues due to the engine current state/behaviors.

 I would rather wait for the next major and have a proper, self
explained syntax. Even if I doubt that "_" as function name will ever
be deprecated as well, that would be my favorite. The  next  would be
"it", as new keyword, $formattedDates =3D
array_map(DateTimeImmutable::format(it, "c"), $dates);

That could give some time to send some deprecation warning for "it",
as an example. Or whatever other symbols may be chosen. Or whatever
else would be needed to have a better approach that could last for the
next decade :).

best,
--=20
Pierre