PHP RFC: Mixed typehint

• Version: 1.1
• Date: 2017-07-19
• Author: Michael Moravec (php.net@majkl578.cz)
• Status: Under Discussion
• First Published at: http://wiki.php.net/rfc/mixed-typehint

With the addition of scalar types in PHP 7, nullables in 7.1 and recently object in 7.2, it's now possible to explicitly declare accepted types for most of the parameters and return types. Unfortunately without mixed type it's still not possible to achieve a fully type hinted and consistent code using simple types.

This RFC proposes to add the mixed type to be used for parameter and return types to explicitly declare desired type, instead of being forced to not declare anything.

Primary motivation for having explicit mixed type is consistence and easier static analysis. In PHP 7.2, mixed types are unfortunately the only type that could not be type hinted upon (and resource as well, but its future is unclear). Having mixed type would allow a code with 100% type coverage in most cases.

The behavior of the mixed type fully matches the behavior when nothing is specified for parameter or return type (thus being implicitly mixed), effectively being an alias for previous behavior.

As the mixed is a union type that accepts any type, including null, nullable mixed type (?mixed) is disabled at compile time as null is implied.

function foo() : ?mixed {}
// Fatal error

No changes to variance needed. Exactly same rules as when no type is present apply.

Since the mixed type and no type are functionally (not semantically) equivalent, the following code is functionally (but not semantically) equivalent as well:

function foo($arg) {
    return $arg;
}

and

function foo(mixed $arg): mixed {
    return $arg;
}

Same rules apply to inheritance, where mixed type and no type could be interchanged without any error. This code would work just fine:

class Foo {
    public function test(mixed $arg): mixed {
        return $arg;
     }
}
class Bar extends Foo {
    public function test($arg) {
        return parent::test($arg);
    }
}
class Baz extends Bar {
    public function test(mixed $arg): mixed {
        return parent::test($arg);
    }
}

As of PHP 7.1, PHP has a special void type. Void is not a regular type and is only valid for return types to specify that nothing is returned.

In some other languages like C/C++ void can also be used as a type that accepts any type. This essentially matches the behavior of mixed in PHP.

As void is not a real type in PHP, it is not part of mixed type. Should there ever be a type that includes all types and void, it would be supertype of mixed and void, i.e. any.

None, mixed is already reserved word since PHP 7.0. Variance behavior is same as when no type is specified.

7.3

None.

None.

Not analyzed, likely none (no changes to current language behavior).

No changes to type cast operators.

Simple yes/no vote to either accept or reject addition of mixed type. As this is a language change, 2/3 majority is required.

GitHub Pull request #2063

• PHP RFC: Reserve Even More Types in PHP 7
• phpDocumentor type reference