What is new in PHP 7.4? 10 Features to look for in 2020.

If you think about all the programming languages that go obsolete over time. Then there are several factors like syntax, frameworks, coding ease, and many others. Over the years, PHP web developers have expertise over many aspects of development. But, yet we see a sharp fall of PHP development as a practice by PHP development companies.

As a PHP development company, an organization knows the importance of PHP makeover to keep it alive. But, with the latest release of PHP 7.4, everything has changed. So, the question that arises in one’s mind is what has changed with PHP 7.4?

Before we dive into the changes that PHP 7.4 has brought, let’s understand something interesting about PHP itself?

What is PHP?

PHP is a general-purpose scripting language. It is a sibling of C language, wherein PHP stands out as the one with HTML embedded codes. Scripting language means lines of codes that automate different tasks in a web-app.

Most of the businesses today that need web-apps for their business choose to hire PHP developers. A developer can use the server-side scripting abilities of PHP and build excellent web-apps.

You can embed PHP in HTML, and it’s used for web development and the creation of dynamic web pages for web apps, e-commerce apps, and database applications. It’s considered a friendly language and can connect with MySQL, Oracle, and other databases.

PHP is an open-source scripting language. An open-source language is like an open register, where everyone can contribute, remodify, and develop new features.

In any website, web pages are designed using HTML. HTML allows the execution of code on a user browser. But, with PHP one can execute the code from the server-side before it can get to the user’s browser.

Now that we know, what is PHP? Let’s see how PHP 7.4 is changing the PHP development Paradigm?

1. Type Properties

Developing PHP projects can be a tad difficult without proper class properties. Class Properties support for type declarations is introduced with PHP 7.4. It makes PHP development easier and Better assignments can be made to user ids. An example of type properties is shown here:

2. Arrow Functions

Defining functions in a PHP development gets easier with arrow functions. Many of the businesses around the world are impressed with the kind of expertise Indian PHP developers possess. Especially in the utilization of arrow functions for higher functionality definitions, they look for a PHP development company in India.

Now, PHP developers can use arrow functions for defining several functions with scope binding. A shorthand syntax available with arrow function Is used to define function through by-value scope binding.

3. Variance Support

PHP 7.4 comes with full variance support for PHP developers to use auto-loading. Now, all the classes used in the single file need to be available before it is referenced.

4. OPCache

This is a preloading feature introduced with PHP 7.4. It will enable servers to preload code files for frameworks, libraries, and other important components in OPCache. Preloading will ease the loading of files on shared memory. So, each time a user requests a specific file through shared memory, it is already preloaded without checking the changes in files.

5. Coalescing assign operator

If you are a PHP developer, you would probably know the application of a ternary operator with an isset(). The new coalesce operator will help you return the first operand and second operand if the first is Null.

6. Spread Operator

A spread operator will help PHP developers in two ways. First being a language structure, it will be better than array_merge. Second, it will help optimize the compilation time for constant arrays.

7. Object Serialization

With this feature, PHP 7.4 helps developers achieve better interface optimization. It will provide two object serialization mechanisms: Serialize and Unserialize.

8. Reflection References

Earlier there was no support for references concerning ReflectionAPIs for the display of variables. With this version, PHP introduced library support with a reflection reference class.

9. Weak References

Now developers can use a cache-like structure for any object. It will help them to save links of objects to reduce any chance of non-destruction with the WeakReference class.

10. Proc_open() function

It is a function that allows the developers to use an array instead of string for any command. The process will now open directly with PHP taking care of any escaping arguments.

Conclusion

If you are in the impression that PHP is an outdated language, then you are wrong! 2020 will see PHP be more popular than ever with PHP 7.4. Businesses will look to hire a PHP development company for the effective use of PHP 7.4 attributes.

PHP or hypertext processer, as they say, will stay alive. And the experts that exaggerate the matter by implying PHP is dead are already regretting it. This version is set to help many PHP developers create state-of-the-art web-apps for businesses around the globe.

So, if you are looking to get the best of PHP 7.4, then look for a PHP development company and grow your business.