php / php/doc-en

Typed properties: the unset() command make property undeclared instead of uninitialized

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Description

Description

The following code:

<?php

class Dummy {
    public string $prop;
    
    public function __set($name, $value) {
        echo "Property '$name' in undeclared!\n";
        $this->$name = $value;
    }
}

$dummy = new Dummy;

// This write to uninitialized property - nothing printed
$dummy->prop = 'First attempt';
echo "{$dummy->prop}\n";

unset($dummy->prop);

// This write to **undeclared** property - message is printed
$dummy->prop = 'Second attempt';
echo "{$dummy->prop}\n";

Resulted in this output:

First attempt
Property 'prop' in undeclared!
Second attempt

Live example: https://3v4l.org/0YfXD

But I expected this output instead:

First attempt
Second attempt

The PHP RFC is explicitly say:

If a typed property is unset(), then it returns to the uninitialized state.

But it's not true, because the unset() command doesn't returns to the uninitialized state but it's just undeclare them and the uninitialized state is simulated at runtime when somebody is trying to read it.

The different is evident when I trying write to property – property in uninitialized state does not call magic __set() method, undeclared property does.

PHP Version

PHP 7.4.0 - 7.4.28, 8.0.1 - 8.0.16, 8.1.0 - 8.1.3

Operating System

No response

Contributor guide

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First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start by running the PHP reproduction in the issue across the listed PHP versions and read the linked typed properties RFC. Confirm how unset() affects subsequent writes and magic __set() calls, then identify the relevant PHP documentation page. Done means the documented behavior and the reported behavior are reconciled, with a regression example or clarification as appropriate.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
php
Domain
documentation
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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