To Parenthesize or Not to Parenthesize: Are Parentheses Necessary for PHP Class Instantiation?

PHP Class Instantiation: Parentheses Usage Questioned

As you delve into class instantiation in PHP, a question arises regarding the parentheses that follow the class name. Are they essential, or can you choose not to use them?

Parentheses Usage Explained

PHP allows you to create class instances either with or without parentheses, as long as you do not have any constructor parameters. This means that the following two statements are equivalent:

$foo = new bar;
$foo = new bar();

Rationale for Optional Parentheses

The parentheses are optional because they serve no functional purpose when there are no constructor parameters. The PHP interpreter knows how to initialize objects based on the class definition, regardless of whether parentheses are used.

Personal Preference

Ultimately, the decision of whether to use parentheses in class instantiation is a matter of personal preference. Some developers prefer to omit them, as they view them as unnecessary clutter. Others prefer to include them for consistency or clarity.

If you are not following a specific code convention, you are free to choose whichever style you prefer. However, if you are working on a team or in a large codebase, it is advisable to adhere to the conventions established within your team or organization.

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