What does :: mean in php

In PHP, the :: operator is used to call static methods or access static properties, allowing static elements to be accessed directly from the class name without instantiating the class. Benefits include convenience, efficiency and clarity.

:: Meaning in PHP

Definition:
In PHP, :: is a parsing operator, which represents the call of a static method or static property.

Role:
:: allows you to directly access static elements in a class without instantiating the class. This means you can call static methods or access static properties directly from the class name itself.

Usage:

• Call static method:

  <code class="php">// 调用 MyClass 类的静态方法 myStaticMethod()
  MyClass::myStaticMethod();</code>

• Access static properties:

  <code class="php">// 访问 MyClass 类的静态属性 myStaticProperty
  echo MyClass::$myStaticProperty;</code>

Benefits:

Using :: has several benefits:

• Convenience: You can access static elements directly from the class name without creating an object.
• Efficiency: It avoids the overhead of creating object instances, thus improving efficiency.
• Clearness: It makes the code clearer because you explicitly specify that you are accessing a static element.

Note:

It should be noted that :: can only be used to access static elements. To access a non-static method or property, you need to instantiate the class and use the object operator ->.

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