When objects were first introduced in PHP 4, the implementation was essentially an array with function references and was horribly problematic. The fundamental problems of that implementation were thankfully addressed with the release of PHP 5, featuring an entirely rethought object implementation. In the versions that have come since, up through version the current 7.4 releases, numerous interesting language features for object-oriented programming (OOP) have emerged.
I suspect you're narrowing the scope of what this article was intended to cover. It is not just a look at PHP 7.4; it's just using the recent PHP release as an excuse for a look back at the history of the language:
With PHP 7.4.5 released in April, it's worthwhile to take a look at modern PHP, how it has evolved to address the criticisms of the past, and what lies ahead in its future.
I accept it mentions that in the content, I guess its the title I find misleading. You can see on this very HN thread, lots of confused replies are falsely equating those features as new developments.
My simple point is that PHP has been "mature", in OOP terms anyway, for at least 10 years now, so the original author tying that milestone to PHP 7.4 seems weird and outdated to me.
This meme of people on HN judging articles entirely on their title really needs to die.
> My simple point is that PHP has been "mature", in OOP terms anyway, for at least 10 years now
You keep saying that and I keep replying that nobody was ever arguing otherwise.
> so the original author tying that milestone to PHP 7.4 seems weird and outdated to me.
Again, they wasn't. You just assumed they did; presumably because you just read the title and the pre block and skipped over all the rest of the content.
When objects were first introduced in PHP 4, the implementation was essentially an array with function references and was horribly problematic. The fundamental problems of that implementation were thankfully addressed with the release of PHP 5, featuring an entirely rethought object implementation. In the versions that have come since, up through version the current 7.4 releases, numerous interesting language features for object-oriented programming (OOP) have emerged.
I suspect you're narrowing the scope of what this article was intended to cover. It is not just a look at PHP 7.4; it's just using the recent PHP release as an excuse for a look back at the history of the language:
With PHP 7.4.5 released in April, it's worthwhile to take a look at modern PHP, how it has evolved to address the criticisms of the past, and what lies ahead in its future.