rfc:list-syntax-trailing-commas

PHP RFC: Trailing Commas In List Syntax

Version: 0.1

Date: 2015-11-03 (discussion); 2017-01-27 (voting)

Author: Sammy Kaye Powers, me@sammyk.me

Status: Implemented in PHP 7.2 (Grouped namepaces only)

https://wiki.php.net/rfc/trailing-comma-function-args First Published at: https://wiki.php.net/rfc/revisit-trailing-comma-function-args

Introduction

This RFC proposes allowing trailing commas for all list syntax. Per the feedback on the internals list, this RFC broadens the scope of the original RFC to allow trailing commas in function arguments to all list syntax. Arrays in PHP have long since supported trailing commas.

Trailing array commas

$foo = [ 'foo' , 'bar' , ] ; This makes for clean diffs and easy appending of new values in user-land. Unfortunately, the other lists do not share the same luxury.

Raises a parse error

<?php use Foo\Bar\ { Foo , Bar , Baz , } ;

Proposal

This RFC proposes allowing trailing commas in all list syntax in order to: Offer a consistent API and match the existing array functionality. Make it easy to append new elements to a list in user-land. Have cleaner diffs (so only one line shows up as being modified when appending elements instead of two). It makes code reviews a tiny bit faster and for really large codebases, that time adds up. ( Sara Golemon explained why HHVM added the trailing comma syntax .) The following lists would allow trailing commas: Grouped namepaces Function/method arguments (declarations & calls) Interface implementations on a class Trait implementations on a class Class member lists Inheriting variables from the parent scope in anonymous functions Marcio Almada posted a gist with examples of trailing commas for the various lists (shown below):

Trailing commas for all lists

<?php // Grouped namepaces use Foo\Bar\ { Foo , Bar , Baz , } ; // Arrays (already possible) $array = [ 1 , 2 , 3 , ] ; // Function/method arguments (call) fooCall ( $arg1 , $arg2 , $arg3 , ) ; class Foo implements // Interface implementations on a class FooInterface , BarInterface , BazInterface , { // Trait implementations on a class use FooTrait , BarTrait , BazTrait , ; // Class member lists const A = 1010 , B = 1021 , C = 1032 , D = 1043 , ; protected $a = 'foo' , $b = 'bar' , $c = 'baz' , ; private $blah , ; // Function/method arguments (declaration) function something ( FooBarBazInterface $in , FooBarBazInterface $out , ) : bool { } } // Inheriting variables from the parent scope in anonymous functions $foo = function ( $bar ) use ( $a , $b , $c , ) { // . . . } ;

Discussion Points

There are a number of questions that have already been discussed on the internals list.

How will it work with variadics?

PHP allows for multiple splats in one call so trailing commas would work the same way. foo ( ... $args , ... $moreArgs , ... $evenMoreArgs , ) ;

Why allocate resources to make this happen

The actual implementation for adding tailing commas to function arguments/calls is two lines. Implementing the functionality to all lists would not require many more changes to the php-src codebase.

You could just use leading commas

function foo ( $bar , $baz , $boo ) { ... } Leading commas would break away from PSRs Parsing leading commas cause cognitive overhead whereas standard practice calls for trailing commas

The arguments for & against are weak

TL;DR : For it: It's handy. (And the reasons detailed above).

Against: It's ugly. There are only minor gains.

Backward Incompatible Changes

This change would have no breaking changes.

Proposed PHP Version

PHP 7.2

Proposed Voting Choices

Each trailing comma list syntax has its own vote and requires a 2/3 majority to pass.

Function/method arguments (declarations & calls)

// Function/method arguments (call) fooCall ( $arg1 , $arg2 , $arg3 , ) ; // Function/method arguments (declaration) function something ( FooBarBazInterface $in , FooBarBazInterface $out , ) : bool { } Allow trailing commas in function/method arguments (declarations and calls) Real name Yes No adambaratz (adambaratz) ashnazg (ashnazg) bishop (bishop) bwoebi (bwoebi) cmb (cmb) danack (danack) daverandom (daverandom) derick (derick) dmitry (dmitry) eliw (eliw) galvao (galvao) jhdxr (jhdxr) joey (joey) kalle (kalle) kelunik (kelunik) keyur (keyur) kguest (kguest) laruence (laruence) lcobucci (lcobucci) leigh (leigh) malukenho (malukenho) marcio (marcio) mariano (mariano) mbeccati (mbeccati) mfonda (mfonda) mike (mike) nikic (nikic) ocramius (ocramius) pajoye (pajoye) pierrick (pierrick) pmjones (pmjones) pollita (pollita) rmf (rmf) salathe (salathe) sammyk (sammyk) sebastian (sebastian) stas (stas) svpernova09 (svpernova09) thekid (thekid) trowski (trowski) weierophinney (weierophinney) yunosh (yunosh) zeev (zeev) zimt (zimt) Final result: 24 20 This poll has been closed.

Grouped namepaces

<?php use Foo\Bar\ { Foo , Bar , Baz , } ; Allow trailing commas in grouped namepaces Real name Yes No adambaratz (adambaratz) ajf (ajf) ashnazg (ashnazg) bishop (bishop) bwoebi (bwoebi) colinodell (colinodell) daverandom (daverandom) dmitry (dmitry) eliw (eliw) galvao (galvao) joey (joey) kalle (kalle) kelunik (kelunik) keyur (keyur) kguest (kguest) lcobucci (lcobucci) leigh (leigh) levim (levim) malukenho (malukenho) marcio (marcio) mariano (mariano) mbeccati (mbeccati) mike (mike) nikic (nikic) ocramius (ocramius) pajoye (pajoye) pierrick (pierrick) pollita (pollita) rmf (rmf) salathe (salathe) sammyk (sammyk) sebastian (sebastian) stas (stas) thekid (thekid) trowski (trowski) weierophinney (weierophinney) yunosh (yunosh) zeev (zeev) zimt (zimt) Final result: 30 9 This poll has been closed.

Interface implementations on a class

class Foo implements FooInterface , BarInterface , BazInterface , { } Allow trailing commas in interface implementations on a class Real name Yes No adambaratz (adambaratz) ajf (ajf) ashnazg (ashnazg) bishop (bishop) bwoebi (bwoebi) cmb (cmb) daverandom (daverandom) eliw (eliw) galvao (galvao) jhdxr (jhdxr) joey (joey) kalle (kalle) kelunik (kelunik) keyur (keyur) kguest (kguest) lcobucci (lcobucci) leigh (leigh) levim (levim) malukenho (malukenho) marcio (marcio) mariano (mariano) mbeccati (mbeccati) mfonda (mfonda) mike (mike) nikic (nikic) ocramius (ocramius) pajoye (pajoye) pierrick (pierrick) pollita (pollita) salathe (salathe) sammyk (sammyk) sebastian (sebastian) stas (stas) trowski (trowski) weierophinney (weierophinney) yunosh (yunosh) zeev (zeev) Final result: 8 29 This poll has been closed.

Trait implementations on a class

class Foo { use FooTrait , BarTrait , BazTrait , ; } Allow trailing commas in trait implementations on a class Real name Yes No adambaratz (adambaratz) ajf (ajf) ashnazg (ashnazg) bishop (bishop) bwoebi (bwoebi) cmb (cmb) daverandom (daverandom) eliw (eliw) galvao (galvao) jhdxr (jhdxr) joey (joey) kalle (kalle) kelunik (kelunik) keyur (keyur) kguest (kguest) lcobucci (lcobucci) leigh (leigh) levim (levim) malukenho (malukenho) marcio (marcio) mariano (mariano) mbeccati (mbeccati) mike (mike) nikic (nikic) ocramius (ocramius) pajoye (pajoye) pierrick (pierrick) pollita (pollita) salathe (salathe) sammyk (sammyk) sebastian (sebastian) stas (stas) trowski (trowski) weierophinney (weierophinney) yunosh (yunosh) zeev (zeev) Final result: 7 29 This poll has been closed.

Class member lists

class Foo { const A = 1010 , B = 1021 , C = 1032 , D = 1043 , ; protected $a = 'foo' , $b = 'bar' , $c = 'baz' , ; private $blah , ; } Allow trailing commas in class member lists Real name Yes No adambaratz (adambaratz) ajf (ajf) ashnazg (ashnazg) bishop (bishop) bwoebi (bwoebi) cmb (cmb) daverandom (daverandom) eliw (eliw) galvao (galvao) jhdxr (jhdxr) joey (joey) kalle (kalle) kelunik (kelunik) keyur (keyur) kguest (kguest) lcobucci (lcobucci) leigh (leigh) levim (levim) malukenho (malukenho) marcio (marcio) mariano (mariano) mbeccati (mbeccati) mike (mike) nikic (nikic) ocramius (ocramius) pajoye (pajoye) pierrick (pierrick) pollita (pollita) salathe (salathe) sammyk (sammyk) sebastian (sebastian) stas (stas) trowski (trowski) weierophinney (weierophinney) yunosh (yunosh) zeev (zeev) Final result: 7 29 This poll has been closed.

Inheriting variables from the parent scope in anonymous functions

$foo = function ( $bar ) use ( $a , $b , $c , ) { // . . . } ; Allow trailing commas in use lists for anonymous functions Real name Yes No adambaratz (adambaratz) ashnazg (ashnazg) bishop (bishop) bwoebi (bwoebi) cmb (cmb) daverandom (daverandom) derick (derick) dmitry (dmitry) eliw (eliw) galvao (galvao) jhdxr (jhdxr) joey (joey) kalle (kalle) kelunik (kelunik) keyur (keyur) kguest (kguest) lcobucci (lcobucci) leigh (leigh) levim (levim) malukenho (malukenho) marcio (marcio) mariano (mariano) mbeccati (mbeccati) mike (mike) nikic (nikic) ocramius (ocramius) pajoye (pajoye) pierrick (pierrick) pmjones (pmjones) pollita (pollita) salathe (salathe) sammyk (sammyk) sebastian (sebastian) stas (stas) trowski (trowski) weierophinney (weierophinney) yunosh (yunosh) zeev (zeev) Final result: 16 22 This poll has been closed.

Patches and Tests