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Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2026 10:32:47 -0600
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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [RFC] [VOTE] Prefix and Suffix Functions
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From: larry@garfieldtech.com ("Larry Garfield")

On Fri, Feb 27, 2026, at 10:24 AM, Bob Weinand wrote:
> Hey Carlos,
>
> On 27.2.2026 14:31:16, Barel wrote:
>> Hi everyone,
>> 
>> This is to announce the opening of the vote for the Prefix and Suffix Functions RFC 
>> 
>> RFC: https://wiki.php.net/rfc/prefix_suffix_functions
>> Discussion thread: https://news-web.php.net/php.internals/129842
>> 
>> The vote will be open for 2 weeks (and a few hours), closing on March
>> 13th at midnight UTC.
>> 
>> Cheers
>> 
>> Carlos
>
>
> I like this RFC very much. I think every addition to the standard 
> library needs to be well considered, but this one definitely crosses 
> the bar.
>
> Simple prefix and suffix operations are quite common - especially in 
> scripting and manipulation of well-known strings.
>
>
>
> While you certainly can write these with substr, it often either 
> duplicates the string for the length or just hardcodes the length, both 
> of which are equally ugly.
> Sure, users can write helper functions for these, but I find below a 
> certain size, users typically don't.
>
> Thus I think this proposed change will lead to simpler and less 
> error-prone code.

I know I personally would use the _ensure_() functions quite frequently in a project of mine.  Hence my yes vote.

Though I would also question why so many people are voting for $subject-last for the secondary vote.

--Larry Garfield