PHP RFC: Short match

• Version: 1.0
• Date: 2020-12-13
• Author: Larry Garfield (larry@garfieldtech.com
• Status: Draft
• First Published at: http://wiki.php.net/rfc/short-match

The match() expression, introduced in PHP 8.0, matches one value against a series of others. For more complex cases, it's possible to provide a value of boolean true as the value to match against, allowing each branch to be arbitrarily complex as long as it results in a boolean. This RFC allows that case to be used as a default; It makes the value to match against optional, and defaults it to boolean true if not specified.

This functionality was included in the original Match expression v1 RFC. It was removed from the second Match expression v2 RFC for simplicity. However, the poll from the first RFC suggested this was a desired feature, so this RFC brings it back.

This RFC makes only one change. It makes this syntax legal:

$a = 3;
 
print match {
  $a < 2 => 'small',
  $a == 3 => 'medium',
  default => 'large',
};

And it means exactly the same as this PHP 8.0 code:

$a = 3;
 
print match (true) {
  $a < 2 => 'small',
  $a == 3 => 'medium',
  default => 'large',
};

That is, if no match subject is provided, the match subject defaults to boolean true.

None

8.1

This is a simple up-or-down vote, requiring 2/3 to pass.

PR available here

* PHP RFC: Match expression * PHP RFC: Match expression v2