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References: <CALaXqqQ-J=_r4X2ENXehU6TDLBbgkuqPk=LguLLEdTYbwmsumQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <5686cf60-1920-4f0f-b8f3-9df788f759bf@app.fastmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <5686cf60-1920-4f0f-b8f3-9df788f759bf@app.fastmail.com>
Date: Thu, 7 May 2026 19:30:10 +0300
Message-ID: <CAGgaK7KnE_4cqygO9z2c_h3iied45PvFBf9M2xWv4KBwJKLa_A@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Pre-RFC discussion about adding friendship to PHP
To: Larry Garfield <larry@garfieldtech.com>
Cc: php internals <internals@lists.php.net>
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From: maxsem.wiki@gmail.com (Max Semenik)

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On Thu, Apr 30, 2026 at 5:10=E2=80=AFPM Larry Garfield <larry@garfieldtech.=
com>
wrote:

> class User {
>   friend UserFactory;
>
>   public friend(set) string $name;
> }
>
> class UserFactory {
>   public function makeUser($name) {
>     $u =3D new User();
>     $u->name =3D $name; // This is OK, because UserFactory is a friend.
>     return $u;
>   }
> }


This seems like an overcomplication, in current PHP this would work just
fine:

class User {
    public function __construct(
        public readonly string $name,
    ) {}
}

Some of C++ OOP features have always felt like kludges to me, and
friendships are a good example. A well-written class shouldn't care what
other classes are using it, as long as they respect its contract.

--=20
Best regards,
Max Semenik

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr">On Thu, Apr 30, 2026 at 5:10=E2=80=AFPM L=
arry Garfield &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:larry@garfieldtech.com">larry@garfieldt=
ech.com</a>&gt; wrote:</div><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_container=
"><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;borde=
r-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">class User {<br>
=C2=A0 friend UserFactory;<br>
<br>
=C2=A0 public friend(set) string $name;<br>
}<br>
<br>
class UserFactory {<br>
=C2=A0 public function makeUser($name) {<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 $u =3D new User();<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 $u-&gt;name =3D $name; // This is OK, because UserFactory is =
a friend.<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 return $u;<br>
=C2=A0 }<br>
}</blockquote><div><br></div><div>This seems like an overcomplication, in c=
urrent PHP this would work just fine:</div><div><br></div><div>class User {=
</div><div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 public function __construct(</div><div>=C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 public readonly string $name,</div><div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 ) {=
}</div><div>}</div><div><br></div></div><div>Some of C++ OOP features have =
always felt like kludges to me, and friendships are a good example. A well-=
written class shouldn&#39;t care what other classes are using it, as long a=
s they respect its contract.</div><div><br></div><span class=3D"gmail_signa=
ture_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_signature"><div =
dir=3D"ltr"><div>Best regards,<br>  Max Semenik<br></div></div></div></div>

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