search
HomeBackend DevelopmentPHP TutorialPHP reference & detailed explanation_PHP tutorial

PHP reference & detailed explanation_PHP tutorial

Jul 13, 2016 pm 04:59 PM
ampphpnofunctionexistQuoteusuallyhaveofSimpleDetailed explanationtransferreturn

A simple ampersand in PHP can lead to a large article. Today we will briefly talk about the usage of variable references and parameter value transfer in PHP. I hope beginners will read and refer to this article.

What $a=test(); gets in this way is not actually a function reference return. It is no different from an ordinary function call. As for the reason: This is the regulation of PHP
PHP stipulates that what is obtained through $a=&test(); is the reference return of the function
As for what is a reference return (the PHP manual says: Reference return is used when you want to use a function to find which variable the reference should be bound to.) This nonsense made me unable to understand it for a long time

Using the above example to explain it is
Calling a function using $a=test() only assigns the value of the function to $a, and any changes to $a will not affect $b
in the function. When calling a function through $a=&test(), its function is to point the memory address of the $b variable in return $b and the memory address of the $a variable to the same place
That is to say, the effect equivalent to this is produced ($a=&b;), so changing the value of $a also changes the value of $b, so after executing

The code is as follows Copy code
$a=&test();
 代码如下 复制代码
$a=&test();
$a=5;
$a=5;

Afterwards, the value of $b becomes 5

Static variables are used here to let everyone understand the reference return of functions. In fact, the reference return of functions is mostly used in objects

Object reference


The above code is the effect of running in PHP5
In PHP5, object copying is achieved through references. In the above column, $b=new a; $c=$b; is actually equivalent to $b=new a; $c=&$b;

The default in PHP5 is to call objects by reference, but sometimes you may want to create a copy of the object and hope that changes to the original object will not affect the copy. For this purpose, PHP defines a special method called __clone .


The role of quotation

If the program is relatively large, there are many variables referencing the same object, and you want to clear it manually after using the object, I personally recommend using the "&" method, and then using $var=null to clear it. Otherwise, use the default of php5 Method. In addition, for transferring large arrays in php5, it is recommended to use the "&" method, after all, it saves memory space.


Unquote

When you unset a reference, you just break the binding between the variable name and the variable's contents. This does not mean that the variable contents are destroyed. For example:
 代码如下 复制代码

$a = 1;
$b =& $a;
unset ($a);
?> 

The code is as follows Copy code

$a = 1;

$b =& $a;
unset ($a);

?>
 代码如下 复制代码

$var =& $GLOBALS["var"];
?> 

Won’t unset $b, just $a. global quote When you declare a variable with global $var you actually create a reference to the global variable. That is the same as doing this:
The code is as follows Copy code
$var =& $GLOBALS["var"]; ?>

This means that, for example, unset $var will not unset a global variable.

$this
In an object method, $this is always a reference to the object that calls it.

//Another little interlude below
The address pointing (similar to a pointer) function in PHP is not implemented by the user himself, but is implemented by the Zend core. The reference in PHP adopts the principle of "copy-on-write", which means that unless a write operation occurs, it points to the same address. Variables or objects will not be copied.

In layman terms
1: If there is the following code

In fact, at this time, $a and $b both point to the same memory address, rather than $a and $b occupying different memories

Output result: 122, you know, these two variables are one "person" from now on, don't bully them!
The code is as follows
 代码如下 复制代码

$source="110";
$a=$source;
$b=&$source;
$source="120";
echo $a."rn",$b;
Copy code

$source="110";

$a=$source;

$b=&$source;

$source="120";

echo $a."rn",$b;

This is a problem with PHP’s reference operator &. Because & is applied to variable $b when assigning value, $b does not copy “110” to itself but directly points to the nest of $source. From now on, $ The source is his $b. No matter how $source changes, it will lead to changes in $b - much like the relationship between a host and two monitors. Since this is the relationship, changes in $b will of course lead to changes in $source
 代码如下 复制代码

class MysqlConnect{} //用来创建数据库连接,那么我们每次调用的时候可以这样写
 
$conn=& new MysqlConnect();

This is a problem with PHP’s reference operator &. Because & is applied to variable $b when assigning value, $b does not copy “110” to itself but directly points to the nest of $source. From now on, $ The source is his $b. No matter how $source changes, it will lead to changes in $b - much like the relationship between a host and two monitors. Since this is the relationship, changes in $b will of course lead to changes in $source

In fact, for the sake of program readability and subsequent programming misoperations, I do not recommend using the & reference operator, think about it. Before row 10,000, you used $b=&$source; and you may not remember it after row 10,000. If you accidentally assign the wrong value, it will be enough for you to drink when debugging! Haha...

In fact, this operator is more used in database connections, because when we create a database connection object, we often only need one, and too many are useless.

The code is as follows Copy code
class MysqlConnect{} //Used to create a database connection, then we can write like this every time we call $conn=& new MysqlConnect(); This way of writing can ensure that the database connection will not be created repeatedly, consuming system resources. But if you really need multiple different connections, you must not write it like this.
http://www.bkjia.com/PHPjc/631318.htmlwww.bkjia.comtruehttp: //www.bkjia.com/PHPjc/631318.htmlTechArticleWhat is simply obtained in php is not actually a function reference return, which is no different from an ordinary function call. Reason: This is a requirement of PHP. PHP requires $a=test();...
Statement
The content of this article is voluntarily contributed by netizens, and the copyright belongs to the original author. This site does not assume corresponding legal responsibility. If you find any content suspected of plagiarism or infringement, please contact admin@php.cn
The Continued Use of PHP: Reasons for Its EnduranceThe Continued Use of PHP: Reasons for Its EnduranceApr 19, 2025 am 12:23 AM

What’s still popular is the ease of use, flexibility and a strong ecosystem. 1) Ease of use and simple syntax make it the first choice for beginners. 2) Closely integrated with web development, excellent interaction with HTTP requests and database. 3) The huge ecosystem provides a wealth of tools and libraries. 4) Active community and open source nature adapts them to new needs and technology trends.

PHP and Python: Exploring Their Similarities and DifferencesPHP and Python: Exploring Their Similarities and DifferencesApr 19, 2025 am 12:21 AM

PHP and Python are both high-level programming languages ​​that are widely used in web development, data processing and automation tasks. 1.PHP is often used to build dynamic websites and content management systems, while Python is often used to build web frameworks and data science. 2.PHP uses echo to output content, Python uses print. 3. Both support object-oriented programming, but the syntax and keywords are different. 4. PHP supports weak type conversion, while Python is more stringent. 5. PHP performance optimization includes using OPcache and asynchronous programming, while Python uses cProfile and asynchronous programming.

PHP and Python: Different Paradigms ExplainedPHP and Python: Different Paradigms ExplainedApr 18, 2025 am 12:26 AM

PHP is mainly procedural programming, but also supports object-oriented programming (OOP); Python supports a variety of paradigms, including OOP, functional and procedural programming. PHP is suitable for web development, and Python is suitable for a variety of applications such as data analysis and machine learning.

PHP and Python: A Deep Dive into Their HistoryPHP and Python: A Deep Dive into Their HistoryApr 18, 2025 am 12:25 AM

PHP originated in 1994 and was developed by RasmusLerdorf. It was originally used to track website visitors and gradually evolved into a server-side scripting language and was widely used in web development. Python was developed by Guidovan Rossum in the late 1980s and was first released in 1991. It emphasizes code readability and simplicity, and is suitable for scientific computing, data analysis and other fields.

Choosing Between PHP and Python: A GuideChoosing Between PHP and Python: A GuideApr 18, 2025 am 12:24 AM

PHP is suitable for web development and rapid prototyping, and Python is suitable for data science and machine learning. 1.PHP is used for dynamic web development, with simple syntax and suitable for rapid development. 2. Python has concise syntax, is suitable for multiple fields, and has a strong library ecosystem.

PHP and Frameworks: Modernizing the LanguagePHP and Frameworks: Modernizing the LanguageApr 18, 2025 am 12:14 AM

PHP remains important in the modernization process because it supports a large number of websites and applications and adapts to development needs through frameworks. 1.PHP7 improves performance and introduces new features. 2. Modern frameworks such as Laravel, Symfony and CodeIgniter simplify development and improve code quality. 3. Performance optimization and best practices further improve application efficiency.

PHP's Impact: Web Development and BeyondPHP's Impact: Web Development and BeyondApr 18, 2025 am 12:10 AM

PHPhassignificantlyimpactedwebdevelopmentandextendsbeyondit.1)ItpowersmajorplatformslikeWordPressandexcelsindatabaseinteractions.2)PHP'sadaptabilityallowsittoscaleforlargeapplicationsusingframeworkslikeLaravel.3)Beyondweb,PHPisusedincommand-linescrip

How does PHP type hinting work, including scalar types, return types, union types, and nullable types?How does PHP type hinting work, including scalar types, return types, union types, and nullable types?Apr 17, 2025 am 12:25 AM

PHP type prompts to improve code quality and readability. 1) Scalar type tips: Since PHP7.0, basic data types are allowed to be specified in function parameters, such as int, float, etc. 2) Return type prompt: Ensure the consistency of the function return value type. 3) Union type prompt: Since PHP8.0, multiple types are allowed to be specified in function parameters or return values. 4) Nullable type prompt: Allows to include null values ​​and handle functions that may return null values.

See all articles

Hot AI Tools

Undresser.AI Undress

Undresser.AI Undress

AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos

AI Clothes Remover

AI Clothes Remover

Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.

Undress AI Tool

Undress AI Tool

Undress images for free

Clothoff.io

Clothoff.io

AI clothes remover

Video Face Swap

Video Face Swap

Swap faces in any video effortlessly with our completely free AI face swap tool!

Hot Tools

mPDF

mPDF

mPDF is a PHP library that can generate PDF files from UTF-8 encoded HTML. The original author, Ian Back, wrote mPDF to output PDF files "on the fly" from his website and handle different languages. It is slower than original scripts like HTML2FPDF and produces larger files when using Unicode fonts, but supports CSS styles etc. and has a lot of enhancements. Supports almost all languages, including RTL (Arabic and Hebrew) and CJK (Chinese, Japanese and Korean). Supports nested block-level elements (such as P, DIV),

SecLists

SecLists

SecLists is the ultimate security tester's companion. It is a collection of various types of lists that are frequently used during security assessments, all in one place. SecLists helps make security testing more efficient and productive by conveniently providing all the lists a security tester might need. List types include usernames, passwords, URLs, fuzzing payloads, sensitive data patterns, web shells, and more. The tester can simply pull this repository onto a new test machine and he will have access to every type of list he needs.

VSCode Windows 64-bit Download

VSCode Windows 64-bit Download

A free and powerful IDE editor launched by Microsoft

Dreamweaver CS6

Dreamweaver CS6

Visual web development tools

MantisBT

MantisBT

Mantis is an easy-to-deploy web-based defect tracking tool designed to aid in product defect tracking. It requires PHP, MySQL and a web server. Check out our demo and hosting services.