Basics of php class and objects
PHP is a popular programming language used to build dynamic and interactive web pages. One of the most important concepts in PHP is the concept of a class. A class is a template for creating objects, which are instances of the class. In this tutorial, we will cover the basics of PHP classes, including how to define a class, how to create objects from a class, and how to use class methods and properties.
Defining a Class To define a class in PHP, you use the “class” keyword followed by the name of the class. The name of the class should start with a capital letter. Here is an example:
class MyClass {
// class definition goes here
}
Creating Objects To create an object from a class, you use the “new” keyword followed by the name of the class. Here is an example:
$myObject = new MyClass();
This creates a new object from the MyClass class and assigns it to the $myObject variable.
Class Methods A class method is a function that is associated with a class. You can define a class method inside the class definition using the “function” keyword. Here is an example:
class MyClass {
function myMethod() {
// method definition goes here
}
}
To call a class method, you use the object operator “->” followed by the name of the method. Here is an example:
$myObject = new MyClass();
$myObject->myMethod();
This calls the myMethod() method on the $myObject object.
Class Properties A class property is a variable that is associated with a class. You can define a class property inside the class definition using the “$” symbol. Here is an example:
class MyClass {
public $myProperty;
}
To set a class property, you use the object operator “->” followed by the name of the property and the assignment operator. Here is an example:
$myObject = new MyClass();
$myObject->myProperty = "Hello World";
This sets the value of the myProperty property on the $myObject object to “Hello World”.
Access Modifiers PHP has three access modifiers for class properties and methods: public, protected, and private. The default access modifier is public. Here is an example:
class MyClass {
public $publicProperty;
protected $protectedProperty;
private $privateProperty;
public function publicMethod() {
// method definition goes here
}
protected function protectedMethod() {
// method definition goes here
}
private function privateMethod() {
// method definition goes here
}
}
The public access modifier means that the property or method can be accessed from anywhere, including outside the class. The protected access modifier means that the property or method can only be accessed from within the class and its subclasses. The private access modifier means that the property or method can only be accessed from within the class.
Inheritance Inheritance is a way to create a new class based on an existing class. The new class inherits all the properties and methods of the existing class, and can also add its own properties and methods. To create a new class based on an existing class, you use the “extends” keyword followed by the name of the existing class. Here is an example:
class MySubClass extends MyClass {
// class definition goes here
}
This creates a new class called MySubClass that is based on the MyClass class.
Conclusion In this tutorial, we have covered the basics of PHP classes, including how to define a class, how to create objects from a class, and how to use class methods and properties