Newsgroups: php.internals
Path: news.php.net
Xref: news.php.net php.internals:130114
Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2026 21:00:09 +0100
To: internals@lists.php.net
Message-ID: <ae03240a-f4f1-48c7-902b-35dd15f19b69@Spark>
References: <29443058-75fa-4c36-80cc-3b3a80e0057b@Spark>
Subject: [PHP-DEV] [RFC IDEA] Deprecate legacy type alias functions
Precedence: list
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="6998bd4e_55f7369d_480"
From: jordikroon@me.com (Jordi Kroon)

--6998bd4e_55f7369d_480
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Disposition: inline

Hi internals,


With PHP 8.5 deprecating the legacy cast syntax (boolean, double, integer=
, binary) in favor of bool, float, int, and string, I noticed that severa=
l legacy alias functions are still present in the language:

=E2=80=A2 is=5Fdouble, which is an alias of is=5Ffloat
=E2=80=A2 is=5Finteger and is=5Flong, both aliases of is=5Fint
=E2=80=A2 doubleval, which is an alias of floatval

=46or reference, is=5Freal was deprecated in PHP 7.4 and removed in 8.0.


Given the recent move toward clearer and more consistent type naming, it =
seems consistent to consider deprecating these remaining alias functions =
as well, since they reflect the same legacy terminology that the cast cha=
nges aim to clean up.


I found that this idea was mentioned before in a broader deprecation idea=
s thread targeting PHP 8, where variable handling function aliases such a=
s is=5Fdouble, is=5Finteger and is=5Flong were listed as candidates for p=
otential cleanup. As far as I can tell, that discussion did not result in=
 a dedicated R=46C or vote on these specific aliases.

https://externals.io/message/103779=23103805


Before drafting a formal R=46C, I would like to confirm whether there hav=
e been more recent discussions or prior decisions on this topic that I ma=
y have missed. If not, I would be happy to prepare a concrete proposal fo=
r further discussion.


=E2=80=94
Regards,
Jordi Kroon

--6998bd4e_55f7369d_480
Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Disposition: inline

<html xmlns=3D=22http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml=22>
<head>
<title></title>
</head>
<body>
<div name=3D=22messageBodySection=22>
<div dir=3D=22auto=22>Hi internals,<br />
<br />
<br />
With PHP 8.5 deprecating the legacy cast syntax (boolean, double, integer=
, binary) in favor of bool, float, int, and string, I noticed that severa=
l legacy alias functions are still present in the language:</div>
<ul>
<li>is=5Fdouble, which is an alias of is=5Ffloat</li>
<li>is=5Finteger and is=5Flong, both aliases of is=5Fint</li>
<li>doubleval, which is an alias of floatval</li>
</ul>
<div dir=3D=22auto=22>=46or reference, is=5Freal was deprecated in PHP 7.=
4 and removed in 8.0.<br />
<br />
<br />
Given the recent move toward clearer and more consistent type naming, it =
seems consistent to consider deprecating these remaining alias functions =
as well, since they reflect the same legacy terminology that the cast cha=
nges aim to clean up.<br />
<br />
<br />
I found that this idea was mentioned before in a broader deprecation idea=
s thread targeting PHP 8, where variable handling function aliases such a=
s is=5Fdouble, is=5Finteger and is=5Flong were listed as candidates for p=
otential cleanup. As far as I can tell, that discussion did not result in=
 a dedicated R=46C or vote on these specific aliases.<br />
<br />
<a href=3D=22https://externals.io/message/103779=23103805=22 target=3D=22=
=5Fblank=22>https://externals.io/message/103779=23103805</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Before drafting a formal R=46C, I would like to confirm whether there hav=
e been more recent discussions or prior decisions on this topic that I ma=
y have missed. If not, I would be happy to prepare a concrete proposal fo=
r further discussion.<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<div name=3D=22messageSignatureSection=22><br />
<p class=3D=22=22 style=3D=22caret-color: rgb(213, 218, 222); cursor: tex=
t; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; counter-reset: list=
-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-=
9 0; white-space: pre-wrap;=22>=E2=80=94</p>
<p class=3D=22=22 style=3D=22caret-color: rgb(213, 218, 222); cursor: tex=
t; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; counter-reset: list=
-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-=
9 0; white-space: pre-wrap;=22>Regards,</p>
<p class=3D=22=22 style=3D=22caret-color: rgb(213, 218, 222); cursor: tex=
t; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; counter-reset: list=
-1 0 list-2 0 list-3 0 list-4 0 list-5 0 list-6 0 list-7 0 list-8 0 list-=
9 0; white-space: pre-wrap;=22>Jordi Kroon</p>
</div>
</body>
</html>

--6998bd4e_55f7369d_480--