Adding functions to php native classes?

Question

In javascript, we can edit the prototype of objects like string and numbers and simply "add functions" to already existing native classes.

I was wondering how do we "add functions" to already existing php native classes (like strings etc) ?

By the way, there isn't a string class in PHP. It's a primitive data type. — BoltClock
– BoltClock, Commented Oct 12, 2011 at 21:37
For user-defined classes, there is runkit: php.net/manual/de/book.runkit.php ... but you can't modify built-in classes with this. In my opinion it's not good practice, anyway ... if you want to extend a (native) class, just extend it ;-) — aurora
– aurora, Commented Oct 12, 2011 at 22:23
By way of clarification, the same is true of most other built-in types (e.g, strings, numbers, arrays, file handles, etc). PHP was originally designed without classes, so most of its basic functionality is not object-oriented. — user149341
– user149341, Commented Oct 12, 2011 at 23:34
@harald no no, you are missing the point. I wanna do this: "a string".Action(). we can do this in javascript and in vb.net — Pacerier
– Pacerier, Commented Oct 13, 2011 at 1:06

BoltClock · Accepted Answer · 2011-10-12 21:36:39Z

4

You can't do that in PHP. You can only inherit from the existing classes (if they're not final) and add methods to the subclasses.

answered Oct 12, 2011 at 21:36

BoltClock

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3 Comments

Pacerier Over a year ago

I'd thought dynamic PHP is supposed to have this feature. Dang, even vb.net allows us to add methods onto already existing classes without subclassing it

BoltClock Over a year ago

@Pacerier: Extension methods in C# and VB.NET don't actually modify the original classes, even though it looks as if they do. But good point.

Herbert Over a year ago

Maybe it's just me, but it seems more in line with OOP to extend a class through inheritance anyway.

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