This document introduces PHP 5.4 and provides an overview of new features and changes from previous versions. Some key additions in PHP 5.4 include improved performance, always available short echo tags, closure support for $this, class member access on instantiation, and a built-in development web server. The document also discusses how to switch to PHP 5.4 on Gentoo Linux and provides useful links for more information.

1. Introduction to PHP 5.4
Getting ready for it
Giovanni Derks - http://derks.me.uk

2. A little bit of history
● 30/06/2009: PHP 5.3
● 01/03/2012: PHP 5.4
● 20/06/2013: PHP 5.5

3. Previously, on PHP ...
To avoid confusion it is
useful to list the major
changes of PHP 5.3:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Support for namespaces;
Support for Late Static Bindings (static::);
Support for jump labels (limited goto);
Support for native Closures
(Lambda/Anonymous functions);
Constants can now be declared outside a
class using the const keyword;
Dynamic access to static methods
($a = "C"; echo $a::$foo;);
Nested exceptions;
Nowdocs support (<<<'EOD' … EOD;);
New magic methods, __callStatic() and
__invoke().

4. More information on 5.3
1.
2.
3.
4.
http://php.net/manual/en/migration53.new-features.php
http://www.sitepoint.com/whats-new-php-5-3/
http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/opensource/library/os-php-5.3new1/index.html
http://phptrycatch.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/throw-your-own-nested-exceptions.html

5. What have been removed
from PHP 5.4
●
●
●
●
●
safe mode;
register_globals;
magic quotes;
get_magic_quotes_gpc() will always return false;
the ini option allow_call_time_pass_reference.
(A more comprehensive list can be found in the documentation linked at the end of this presentation)

6. What’s new in PHP 5.4
Main new features:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
multibyte support is enabled by default and default_charset has been changed from ISO-8859-1
to UTF-8;
improved performance;
echo short tags are always available (regardless the short_open_tag ini setting);
closures now support $this;
class member access on instantiation;
upload progress available in the $_SESSION superglobal;
Class::{expr}() syntax;
built-in development web server.

7. Before we dig into it
How to switch to php 5.4 on Gentoo:
# eselect php list apache2
How to use the built in server:
●
# eselect php set apache2 X
(X = item number in the list of available php versions)
You have to run `/etc/init.d/apache2 restart'
for the changes to take effect
●
●
switch also the command line version
of php to 5.4:
# eselect php list cli [...]
change directory to your project root folder
run php -S localhost:8000 or make it listen on any
IP (php -S 0.0.0.0:8000)
# /etc/init.d/apache2 restart
# eselect php list apache2
http://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/PHP
http://php.net/manual/en/features.commandline.
webserver.php

8. Improved performance

9. Short echo tags
Code:
Result:
<?="Hello world";?>
Hello world

10. Short array syntax
Code:
Result:
<?php $a = [1, 2, 3, 4]; ?>
array(2) {
["one"]=>int(1)
or
["two"]=>int(2)
<?php $a = ['one' => 1, 'two' => 2]; ?>
}

11. Function array dereferencing
Code:
Result:
<?php
b
function fncReturnArray() {
return ["a", "b", "c", "d"];
}
echo fncReturnArray()[1];
?>

12. 'REQUEST_TIME_FLOAT'
The timestamp of the start of the request, with microsecond precision.
Code:
<?php
echo "Page loaded in:" . (microtime(true) $_SERVER['REQUEST_TIME_FLOAT']);
?>
Result:
Page loaded in:
0.0065569877624512

13. Upload progress
PHP 5.4 provides the ability to track the upload progress of individual files.
The upload progress will be available in the $_SESSION superglobal when an
upload is in progress.
More information:
●
●
http://php.net/manual/en/session.upload-progress.php
https://github.com/chemicaloliver/PHP-5.4-Upload-Progress-Example

14. Class::{expr}() Syntax
Code:
Result:
class test01 {
OMG! ...36 is even
public static function printIsEven($num) {
echo "OMG! ...{$num} is even";
}
public static function printIsOdd($num) {
echo "OMG! ...{$num} is odd";
}
}
$sec = date('s');
echo test01::{ $sec % 2 === 0 ? 'printIsEven' :
'printIsOdd' }($sec);

15. $this in closures + class member access on
instantiation
Code:
Result:
class test02 {
hello world
private $_test = "hello world";
function testThisInAnonFunc() {
$myVal = call_user_func(function () {
return $this->_test;
});
echo $myVal;
}
}
(new test02)->testThisInAnonFunc();

16. Traits: code
// (from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trait_
(computer_programming))
// the template:
// -- >
// new function: trait_exists
trait TSingleton {
if (trait_exists('TSingleton')) {
private static $_instance = null;
// can also be used in already extended
public static function getInstance() {
if (null === self::$_instance)
// classes; test02 is from prev. example
{
class test03 extends test02 {
self::$_instance = new self();
use TSingleton;
}
}
return self::$_instance;
}
}
test03::getInstance()->testThisInAnonFunc();
// -- >
}

17. Traits: result
hello world
More information:
● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trait_(computer_programming)
● http://www.sitepoint.com/using-traits-in-php-5-4/

18. Getting ready
If you’re still using PHP 5.3, here are a few things you can do to prepare for the
switch:
●
●
●
●
●
use short echo tags;
work with safe_mode turned off;
use date_default_timezone_set();
do not rely on magic quotes;
check that you are not using session_register(), session_unregister() or
session_is_registered().

19. Useful links
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
http://php.net/manual/en/migration54.new-features.php
http://www.php.net/manual/en/migration54.incompatible.php
http://www.sitepoint.com/whats-new-in-php-54/
http://net.tutsplus.com/tutorials/php/php-5-4-is-here-what-you-must-know/
http://www.king-foo.be/2012/01/php-5-4-whats-new/
http://www.larryullman.com/2012/05/09/whats-new-in-php-5-4/
http://php.webtutor.pl/en/2011/09/27/whats-new-in-php-5-4-a-huge-list-of-major-changes/
http://www.webdigi.co.uk/blog/2012/cool-new-stuff-in-php-5-4/
http://blog.ircmaxell.com/2011/07/are-traits-new-eval.html
http://www.slideshare.net/predominant/php-54-begin-your-love-affair-with-traits-10118525
http://w3techs.com/technologies/details/pl-php/5/all
http://www.sitepoint.com/using-traits-in-php-5-4/
http://net.tutsplus.com/tutorials/php/functional-programming-in-php/
http://www.php.net/manual/en/ini.core.php#ini.allow-call-time-pass-reference

20. Thank you!
Get in touch:
●
●
●
http://derks.me.uk
https://twitter.com/giovdk21
http://uk.linkedin.com/in/giovanniderks/