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PHP 8.4 features are officially here after the official release of the latest version of the language, aimed at improving code quality, performance, and security for developers.
This latest update brings enhancements to object-oriented programming and adds several important deprecations.
Let’s find out what is it all about.
PHP 8.4 Features
One of the standout features in PHP 8.4 is property hooks, which allow developers to define logic for getting and setting properties directly within the property itself, reducing the need for boilerplate code.
Another notable improvement is asymmetric visibility, which allows for different access levels to properties, providing more control over data manipulation.
PHP 8.4 also simplifies code readability by allowing developers to chain methods without parentheses, making method invocations cleaner and more intuitive.
Additionally, the update introduces HTML5 support through the new \Dom\HTMLDocument class, streamlining HTML parsing for developers.
For performance, the update improves the Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler, offering better memory efficiency and faster execution in certain cases. Native support for lazy objects has also been added, enabling more efficient proxy object creation.
PHP 8.4 Deprecations
Alongside these new features, PHP 8.4 deprecates several older functions, including md5(), sha1(), and uniqid(), encouraging developers to transition to more secure alternatives.
The update also marks the deprecation of GET/POST session tracking mechanisms.
Developers are encouraged to upgrade to PHP 8.4, but should first test their applications in staging environments, especially since some legacy functions are now deprecated.
Managed hosting platforms like Cloudways offer easy PHP version upgrades and staging environments for testing before going live.
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PHP 8.4 Release Date Timeline
The updated release schedule adjusted the beginning of the cycle and shortened the release candidate phase to four versions while keeping the same annual PHP release date.
This change provided more time for discussions on new features and recognized that the last two release candidates in previous cycles often had minimal changes or none at all.
PHP 8.4 features are definitely super exciting as they bring significant improvements to both performance and security, making it an essential upgrade for businesses and developers seeking to stay current with PHP’s evolving standards.
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Hafsa Tahir
Hafsa is a content marketer who has been in the organic growth space for the past three years. With her background in Psychology and UX, she enjoys reading users' minds and is keen to try the most creative product marketing angles. Her copies scream: "you're not just a paycheck to us". Loves to crack unfunny jokes, pay gym fee and not go, and write psychologically disturbing short stories for some reason.
