Re: [RFC] Allow void return type variance

On Mon, 4 Feb 2019 at 13:28, Wes <netmo.php@gmail.com> wrote: > I know this too. I am often in touch with Levi and void variance is not > covered by his RFC > As a matter of fact, if you try to compile that PR void will behave exactly > like it does now > First of all, apologies as I needed a brush up on the difference between general variance and covariance. In fact, the RFC linked does not cover the variance of the void type. > My RFC targets 7.2 and 7.3 other than 7.4 > Secondly, I am nearly certain, but I would love to be proven wrong, that new features aren't backported to older PHP releases. So even then I don't think this will land in PHP 7.2/7.3 Now back to the proposal of the variance of void type. I'm not sure I see the point of it? Let me explain: if I define a method as void it means that it does stuff which doesn't/can't return a sensible value. Also, I am defining behavior and changing the return type, at least to me, is a change in behavior. Because a function/method which clearly is not intended to be used as a value can now under your proposal become one. Sure you can say that the return value may be only used by the child class but if I want to change my parent class to this child class I can't be sure that it will behave as before because *maybe* the child class needs the return value of this previously void method. Maybe I am just overthinking this however in my opinion if a return type needs to be changed from void to something you are trying to add behavior to a method which *probably* should go into its own method. Best regards George P. Banyard