Re: Feature Proposal

> So if some calling code wants to override a later parameter, it currently needs to pass a value to the earlier optional parameters. I think that this is a code smell that should be addressed by a better design. Here's a detailed explanation of why one should use default parameters sparingly, along with alternatives: https://afilina.com/null-hell I feel like such a feature would enable developers to dig themselves a deeper hole towards unmaintainable code. That's just my 2 cents. Anna Filina On Thu, Jan 14, 2021 at 12:52 PM Andrew Brown <browner12@gmail.com> wrote: > This is my first foray into PHP internals, so please let me know if I'm > doing something wrong. Currently just following the instructions from > https://wiki.php.net/rfc/howto. > > Currently this proposal is only a "concept". > > I propose we add a "default" keyword that can be passed as an argument > into a function/method call. This would allow the calling code to defer to > the function signature for the value of a parameter. > > Traditionally, all optional parameters are placed towards the end of the > function parameter list, but as we all know, sometimes this order can be > tricky. So if some calling code wants to override a later parameter, it > currently needs to pass a value to the earlier optional parameters. > > A current solution around this is to define all defaults in the body of > the function rather than in the signature. > > [image: Screen-Shot-2021-01-14-at-11.45.09-AM.jpg] > > However, this adds some extra boilerplate, and we can't use default > parameters as they were really intended. > > My proposal is to add a new default keyword to be passed as an > argument. > > [image: Screen-Shot-2021-01-14-at-11.44.57-AM.jpg] > > The first call of the function here is how we currently have to do things. > We have to explicitly pass true in as the second parameter. > > However, in the second call, we now use the new default > keyword, which > will defer to the function signature for the default value of > $param2. > > Thanks all, looking forward to some feedback! > > -- > Andrew M. Brown >