apache / apache/netbeans

[PHP 8.6] Partial Function Application

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kind:feature needs:triage PHP
Dominant language
Java
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Description

### Description

Support for the upcoming version 8.6 of PHP.

_(Scheduled to be released in late November 2026)_

### Use case/motivation

The [PHP RFC: Partial Function Application (v2)](https://wiki.php.net/rfc/partial_function_application_v2) introduces a native syntax to pre-fill some arguments of a function call while leaving others open for later.

The syntax uses a `?` placeholder for a single open argument (e.g., `str_replace('hello', 'hi', ?)`) and `...` for remaining variadic arguments, completely removing the need to write verbose, custom anonymous arrow functions.

Calling a function this way returns a standard `Closure` object that only expects the remaining missing arguments.

This feature drastically cleans up functional-style programming, making it highly readable when using inline callbacks or chaining operations with the pipe operator.

### Related issues

_No response_

### Are you willing to submit a pull request?

No

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

No files, tests, or entry points are identified in the issue. Start by reading the linked PHP RFC and inspecting how NetBeans currently handles PHP language-version features; done means PHP 8.6 partial function application syntax is supported without regressions.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
php
Domain
tooling
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
38/100

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