Re: [Pre-RFC] Idea: named parameter lists

On 18/08/2026 12.52, AllenJB wrote:

On 2026-08-18 11:02, Henrik Skov wrote:

Hi again ! The important part is that any instantiations and function calls are evaluated at call-time and not compile time ! So time() would return the timestamp at time of call and not when compiler first encounters the COOKIE_PARAMS const array. The new params keyword would make this clear to the compiler /Henrik On 18/08/2026 11.43, Henrik Skov wrote:

Thanks for the feedback. Problem with your re-written example is that it works with/depends on global variables... I was the code below actually worked: <?php const COOKIE_PARAMS = [

    "samesite"                 => "Lax",
    "expires_or_options"     => time() + 3600,     // Let's say time is 1787047184
    "path"                     => "/",
    "domain"                 => "",
    "secure"                 => false,
    "httponly"                 => true,

];

[...]

sleep(100); var_dump(time()); // -> 1787047284 fakeSetCookie("testName", "testValue", ...COOKIE_PARAMS); so expires_or_options become 1787050884

Ah, I think I understand now. What you're proposing is a structure where you can define a value as an expression, and that expression is only evaluated when the structure is used (rather than when it's defined). So, even in a long-lived application, the expires_or_options value would always be evaluated as time() + 3600 If this were to be implemented, I think it would be better to look at values, rather than defining an entire structure. I can see it being used for more than parameters. Something like an IIFE that's invoked when used rather than when defined. As a side-note, one way to achieve this in current PHP would be to use a callable:

$params = function() {
    return [
        "samesite" => "Lax",
        "expires_or_options" => time() + 3600,
        "path" => "/",
        "domain" => "",
        "secure" => false,
        "httponly" => true,
    ];
};

fakeSetCookie("testName", "testValue", ...$params());
sleep(2);
fakeSetCookie("testName", "testValue", ...$params());

(3v4l refused to save this, probably because it takes too long) This can also be written using arrow functions:

$params = fn() => [
    "samesite" => "Lax",
    "expires_or_options" => time() + 3600,
    "path" => "/",
    "domain" => "",
    "secure" => false,
    "httponly" => true,
];

-- Yes, but I think one should consider params COOKIE_PARAMS {...} more of a type ! Med venlig hilsen Henrik Skov /HSK Consulting/ Blegdamsvej 128B, 4 DK-2100 Copenhagen O Tel.: +45 27 62 83 01 Email: henry.wood.dk@gmail.com