php static function

Question

I have a question regarding static function in php.

let's assume that I have a class

class test {
    public function sayHi() {
        echo 'hi';
    }
}

if I do test::sayHi(); it works without a problem.

class test {
    public static function sayHi() {
        echo 'hi';
    }
}

test::sayHi(); works as well.

What are the differences between first class and second class?

What is special about a static function?

Answer 1

In the first class, sayHi() is actually an instance method which you are calling as a static method and you get away with it because sayHi() never refers to $this.

Static functions are associated with the class, not an instance of the class. As such, $this is not available from a static context ($this isn't pointing to any object).

Answer 2

Simply, static functions function independently of the class where they belong.

$this means, this is an object of this class. It does not apply to static functions.

class test {
    public function sayHi($hi = "Hi") {
        $this->hi = $hi;
        return $this->hi;
    }
}
class test1 {
    public static function sayHi($hi) {
        $hi = "Hi";
        return $hi;
    }
}

//  Test
$mytest = new test();
print $mytest->sayHi('hello');  // returns 'hello'
print test1::sayHi('hello');    //  returns 'Hi'

Answer 3

Entire difference is, you don't get $this supplied inside the static function. If you try to use $this, you'll get a Fatal error: Using $this when not in object context.

Well, okay, one other difference: an E_STRICT warning is generated by your first example.

Answer 4

Calling non-static methods statically generates an E_STRICT level warning.

Answer 5

In a nutshell, you don't have the object as $this in the second case, as the static method is a function/method of the class not the object instance.

Answer 6

After trying examples (PHP 5.3.5), I found that in both cases of defining functions you can't use $this operator to work on class functions. So I couldn't find a difference in them yet. :(