Editor Bytes – PHP 8 Bits and Git

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As scheduled, PHP 8 was released at the end of November. Congratulations are in order for the release maintainers and all contributors involved. In this twelfth issue, we have an in-depth dive into the changes in PHP 8, how to write better code with calisthenics, powering up Git with aliases and hooks, and more.

While wrapping up this issue, news broke that Salesforce is acquiring Slack for $28 billion. This morning, my Twitter feed had no shortage of messages about how PHP is a core part of the platform. Over at Commit Strip, they predict—or is it caution?—that PHP/jQuery/WordPress is a good bet to be around in a decade.

Let’s enjoy this moment. PHP continues to mature, as evidenced by the recent release of PHP 8. The only value in any tech stack is tied to how well it helps people solve problems. In the last decade, PHP has shed language features that led to security issues and promoted poor coding practices. Internals has settled into an effective planning model via RFCs that enables consistent annual releases. While new technologies and opportunities to apply them will certainly open up, it would take a massive effort across the web to migrate away from PHP to something else.

Let’s start in PHP 8 Distilled by Matthew Turland. He writes about new language features you can use, deprecations and removed extensions to watch out for, and tools to streamline upgrading your application code to it. Vinícius Campitelli returns with Applying Best Coding Practices to PHP, Part Two to look at how you can use practical rules along with the SOLID principles discussed last month. In Power Up with Git, Andrew Woods explains how you can customize and create new Git commands to make your workflow more efficient. Even if you’re a seasoned veteran, check this one out. You’re bound to learn a new alias or approach to working with it.

Are you ready to try a puzzle? Sherri Wheeler has one in PHP Puzzles: Grid Mapping. She looks at a few solutions for rendering a map grid. Venturing into The Workshop, Joe Ferguson shares another way to automate things in Git Hooks with CaptainHook. It’s handy if you need a straightforward way to share hooks with colleagues. In Security Corner: Circuit Breakers, Eric Mann explains how to use the circuit breaker pattern to make your application more resilient. If you depend on one or more third-party APIS, give it a read. Chris Tankersley shares Using Factories and Hydration in Education Station. He’ll show you how to decouple your objects with factories and clarify the distinction between object creation and adding data to them. Eric Van Johnson has An Interview with Andreas Heigl in Community Corner. He learns about how Andreas got involved with PHP and his contributions towards moving the PHP documentation to Git. Do you need Deep Problem Analysis? Edward Barnard offers a case study in tackling a tricky problem to come up with a working solution. As this year finally{} ends, Beth Tucker Long suggests Resolutions we can make to use our tech skills for the common good.

Air date	December 10, 2020
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