What’s New in PHP 7.4 (Features, Deprecations, Speed)
PHP 7.4 brought a fresh set of updates that made coding smoother and faster. Many developers liked this version because it felt cleaner. It also helped boost performance without forcing any big changes.
Let’s take a friendly walk through the main updates.
Typed Properties
Typed properties became one of the most talked-about features in PHP 7.4.
You can now add types directly to class properties. It gives your code more clarity. It also helps you catch errors early.
For example, you can make sure a property always holds an integer or a string. It feels simple, and it reduces many small bugs.
Arrow Functions
Arrow functions arrived to make small functions easier to write. They cut out a lot of extra syntax.
You can write short, tidy callbacks without the long function structure.
They also use the parent scope automatically. So you do not need the use keyword for simple cases.
This makes code look cleaner, especially in array functions.
Null Coalescing Assignment Operator
PHP 7.4 introduced the ??= operator. It helps you set a value only if the variable is null.
It saves time because you avoid long checks.
You no longer need several lines to check if a variable exists. One short line takes care of it.
It feels neat, and it keeps your code easy to follow.
Spread Operator in Arrays
The spread operator in arrays also became part of PHP 7.4.
It lets you merge arrays in a simple and readable way.
You can unpack one array inside another with ...$array.
It looks cleaner than older methods, and it removes the need for functions like array_merge() in many spots.
Preloading
Preloading is a big addition for performance.
It lets you load certain PHP files into memory when the server starts.
The benefit is clear. Your application can run faster because the engine does not need to load those files again for each request.
Large projects often see the most improvement from this feature.
Weak References
Weak references also appeared in PHP 7.4.
They let you reference an object without stopping it from being removed by the garbage collector.
This matters for caching and similar use cases.
It gives you more control without holding on to memory you no longer need.
New Serialization Methods
PHP 7.4 added __serialize() and __unserialize().
These methods replace older and less consistent ways to handle serialization.
They help you manage how objects turn into arrays of data and back again.
It gives you a more stable and predictable approach.
Performance Improvements
PHP 7.4 runs faster than earlier versions of PHP 7.
Many internal optimizations helped speed things up.
Memory usage also improved, especially in large applications.
With features like preloading and other engine tweaks, you get smoother execution.
It feels more responsive under heavy load.
Deprecations
A few older features were marked as deprecated in PHP 7.4.
One major one is the curly brace syntax for array and string access.
You should now use square brackets instead.
Nested ternary expressions also started showing warnings if they were not clearly grouped.
Some older serialization techniques became less encouraged as the new methods took over.
These changes help keep the language cleaner and more consistent.
Conclusion
PHP 7.4 brought plenty of updates that made everyday coding easier.
It offered better speed, simpler syntax, and clearer patterns.
Many developers enjoyed this version because it made PHP feel smoother and more modern.
If you plan to work with PHP 7.4 or maintain older projects, these features can help you write cleaner and faster code.
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