This thing has been bugging me for long and I can't find it anywhere!
What is the difference when using classes in php between :: and ->
Let me give an example.
Imagine a class named MyClass and in this class there is a function myFunction
What is the difference between using:
MyClass myclass = new MyClass
myclass::myFunction();
or
MyClass myclass = new MyClass
myclass->myFunction();
Thank you
MyClass::myFunction(); // static method call
$myclass->myFunction(); // instance method call
myclass::myFunction(); compile, and if so, what does it mean?
"::" is for calling static methods on the class. So, you can use:
MyClass::myStaticFunction()
but not:
MyClass->myStaticFunction()
as stated, "::" is for static method calls whereas "->" is for instance method calls
except for when using parent:: to access functions in a base class, where "parent::" can be used for both static and non-static parent methods
abstract class myParentClass
{
public function foo()
{
echo "parent class";
}
}
class myChildClass extends myParentClass
{
public function bar()
{
echo "child class";
parent::foo();
}
}
$obj = new myChildClass();
$obj->bar();
class MyClass {
static function myStaticFunction(...){
...
}
}
//$myObject=new MyClass(); it isn't necessary. It's true??
MyClass::myStaticFunction();
