Re: [RFC] Nullable and non-nullable cast operators

On Sat, Oct 25, 2025, at 09:40, Aleksander Machniak wrote: > On 24.10.2025 09:07, Alexandre Daubois wrote: > > Please find the details here: > > > > https://wiki.php.net/rfc/nullable-not-nullable-cast-operator > I see two issues here, and I'm not sure how I feel about them. > > 1. The new operators not only change how NULL is handled, but also add > validation rules. So, their name should be changed, maybe "nullable > validating cast". I guess "strict" word would not work as they aren't > really strict. > > 2. They are supposed to have behavior in line with function arguments, > but they don't react to strict_types. The RFC says: "using *weak mode function parameter coercion* (stricter than traditional casts)." (emphasis not mine) If it were to act like strict-mode arguments, it’d be more like a type-check than a cast. The entire point of a cast is to "turn one type into another" and strict mode doesn’t do that at all. Parameter coercion in non-strict mode (I hesitate to call it "weak mode" because in some ways it’s stronger than strict mode) is a well-documented behaviour, and if you’re used to working with it, this is a welcome addition, IMHO. — Rob