PHP RFC: Make empty() a Variadic

• Version: 0.1
• Date: 2015-02-20
• Author: Thomas Punt, tpunt@hotmail.co.uk
• Status: Draft
• First Published at: http://wiki.php.net/rfc/variadic_empty

This RFC aims to make the empty language construct accept any number of arguments.

// current usage #1:
if (empty($a) || empty($b) || empty($c)) {}
 
// current usage #2:
if (!empty($a) && !empty($b) && !empty($c)) {}
 
// new usage #1:
if (empty($a, $b, $c)) {}
 
// new usage #2:
if (!empty($a, $b, $c)) {}

By changing empty() to have a variable arity, we can write code that terser

No BC breakages.

PHP 7.0

None.

None.

None.

None.

None.

None.

The current functionality of empty() will be completely preserved.

This sections details areas where the feature might be improved in future, but that are not currently proposed in this RFC.

Include these so readers know where you are heading and can discuss the proposed voting options.

State whether this project requires a 2/3 or 50%+1 majority (see voting)

Links to any external patches and tests go here.

If there is no patch, make it clear who will create a patch, or whether a volunteer to help with implementation is needed.

Make it clear if the patch is intended to be the final patch, or is just a prototype.

After the project is implemented, this section should contain

1. the version(s) it was merged to
2. a link to the git commit(s)
3. a link to the PHP manual entry for the feature

Links to external references, discussions or RFCs

Keep this updated with features that were discussed on the mail lists.