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Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2015 10:14:24 +0100
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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Is it a good idea to have a "strict" mode?
From: ml@anderiasch.de (Florian Anderiasch)



On 01/30/2015 06:36 AM, Yasuo Ohgaki wrote:
> Hi Cesar,
> 
> On Fri, Jan 30, 2015 at 2:16 PM, César Rodas <cesar@rodas.me> wrote:
> 
>> I'm wondering if it would be a good idea to have a `strict` mode in PHP.
>> Many language have them and it is a good idea.
>>
>> I think it should be a bit different in PHP, it should encourage the
>> following things:
>>
>>  - Avoid deprecated things, it should throw an exception.
>>  - Avoid explicit conversions of undefined constants to strings.
>>  - Anything else that could make run-time slower *or* bad practice.
>>
>> ```php
>> "use strict";
>>
>> var_dump(FOOBAR); // should throw an exception, undefined constant.
>> ```
>>
> 
> We have error_reporting INI for this purpose.
> Users may be strict or lazy for errors by the INI setting.
> 

I don't think it's a good idea to have a strict mode at all. I'd prefer
any language to be strict and unambiguous enough from the start. Adding
strict mode after the fact is just a band aid. PHP's error reporting
level isn't that bad, but if you're ignoring legacy code there's hardly
a reason not to develop to the strictest standard possible.

~Florian