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PHP RFC: Allow void return type on constructors/destructors

Date: 2020-06-14
Author: Benas Seliuginas, benas.molis.iml@gmail.com
Status: Draft
Target version: PHP 8.0

Introduction

RFC proposes to allow using void return type on constructors and destructors (e. g. for consistency with other methods, alternative code style, etc.). In a way, this proposal is like a trailing comma: some might use it, some might not, but both cases are valid and allowed.

Proposal

Documented as void

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Explicit declaration

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Consistency with other methods

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__clone() allows void return type

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Note: only as part of the “Ensure correct signatures of magic methods” RFC.

Backward Incompatible Changes

None.

To ensure backwards compatibility, it is allowed to not specify a return type at all. Although, since no return type is mixed|void, it is not allowed to narrow the return type to mixed, only void.

Vote

2/3 majority Yes/No.

Implementation

GitHub Pull Request