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What does the variable $this mean in PHP?

Tags:

oop

php

class

this

People also ask

What is $this in oops?

In many object-oriented programming languages, this (also called self or Me ) is a variable that is used in instance methods to refer to the object on which they are working. The first OO language, SIMULA 67, used this to explicitly reference the local object.

What does a $$$ mean in PHP?

The $x (single dollar) is the normal variable with the name x that stores any value like string, integer, float, etc. The $$x (double dollar) is a reference variable that stores the value which can be accessed by using the $ symbol before the $x value. These are called variable variables in PHP.

What does variable mean in PHP?

Variable is a symbol or name that stands for a value. Variables are used for storing values such as numeric values, characters, character strings, or memory addresses so that they can be used in any part of the program. Declaring PHP variables.


It's a reference to the current object, it's most commonly used in object oriented code.

  • Reference: http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.basic.php
  • Primer: http://www.phpro.org/tutorials/Object-Oriented-Programming-with-PHP.html

Example:

<?php
class Person {
    public $name;

    function __construct( $name ) {
        $this->name = $name;
    }
};

$jack = new Person('Jack');
echo $jack->name;

This stores the 'Jack' string as a property of the object created.


The best way to learn about the $this variable in PHP is to try it against the interpreter in various contexts:

print isset($this);              //true,   $this exists
print gettype($this);            //Object, $this is an object 
print is_array($this);           //false,  $this isn't an array
print get_object_vars($this);    //true,   $this's variables are an array
print is_object($this);          //true,   $this is still an object
print get_class($this);          //YourProject\YourFile\YourClass
print get_parent_class($this);   //YourBundle\YourStuff\YourParentClass
print gettype($this->container); //object
print_r($this);                  //delicious data dump of $this
print $this->yourvariable        //access $this variable with ->

So the $this pseudo-variable has the Current Object's method's and properties. Such a thing is useful because it lets you access all member variables and member methods inside the class. For example:

Class Dog{
    public $my_member_variable;                             //member variable

    function normal_method_inside_Dog() {                   //member method

        //Assign data to member variable from inside the member method
        $this->my_member_variable = "whatever";

        //Get data from member variable from inside the member method.
        print $this->my_member_variable;
    }
}

$this is reference to a PHP Object that was created by the interpreter for you, that contains an array of variables.

If you call $this inside a normal method in a normal class, $this returns the Object (the class) to which that method belongs.

It's possible for $this to be undefined if the context has no parent Object.

php.net has a big page talking about PHP object oriented programming and how $this behaves depending on context. https://www.php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.basic.php


I know its old question, anyway another exact explanation about $this. $this is mainly used to refer properties of a class.

Example:

Class A
{
   public $myname;    //this is a member variable of this class

function callme() {
    $myname = 'function variable';
    $this->myname = 'Member variable';
    echo $myname;                  //prints function variable
    echo $this->myname;              //prints member variable
   }
}

output:

function variable

member variable

It is the way to reference an instance of a class from within itself, the same as many other object oriented languages.

From the PHP docs:

The pseudo-variable $this is available when a method is called from within an object context. $this is a reference to the calling object (usually the object to which the method belongs, but possibly another object, if the method is called statically from the context of a secondary object).


Lets see what happens if we won't use $this and try to have instance variables and constructor arguments with the same name with the following code snippet

<?php

class Student {
    public $name;

    function __construct( $name ) {
        $name = $name;
    }
};

$tom = new Student('Tom');
echo $tom->name;

?>

It echos nothing but

<?php

class Student {
    public $name;

    function __construct( $name ) {
        $this->name = $name; // Using 'this' to access the student's name
    }
};

$tom = new Student('Tom');
echo $tom->name;

?>

this echoes 'Tom'


when you create a class you have (in many cases) instance variables and methods (aka. functions). $this accesses those instance variables so that your functions can take those variables and do what they need to do whatever you want with them.

another version of meder's example:

class Person {

    protected $name;  //can't be accessed from outside the class

    public function __construct($name) {
        $this->name = $name;
    }

    public function getName() {
        return $this->name;
    }
}
// this line creates an instance of the class Person setting "Jack" as $name.  
// __construct() gets executed when you declare it within the class.
$jack = new Person("Jack"); 

echo $jack->getName();

Output:

Jack

This is long detailed explanation. I hope this will help the beginners. I will make it very simple.

First, let's create a class

<?php 

class Class1
{
    
}

You can omit the php closing tag ?> if you are using php code only.

Now let's add properties and a method inside Class1.

<?php 

class Class1
{
    public $property1 = "I am property 1";
    public $property2 = "I am property 2";

    public function Method1()
    {
        return "I am Method 1";
    }
}

The property is just a simple variable , but we give it the name property cuz its inside a class.

The method is just a simple function , but we say method cuz its also inside a class.

The public keyword mean that the method or a property can be accessed anywhere in the script.

Now, how we can use the properties and the method inside Class1 ?

The answer is creating an instance or an object, think of an object as a copy of the class.

<?php 

class Class1
{
    public $property1 = "I am property 1";
    public $property2 = "I am property 2";

    public function Method1()
    {
        return "I am Method 1";
    }
}

$object1 = new Class1;
var_dump($object1);

We created an object, which is $object1 , which is a copy of Class1 with all its contents. And we dumped all the contents of $object1 using var_dump() .

This will give you

object(Class1)#1 (2) { ["property1"]=> string(15) "I am property 1" ["property2"]=> string(15) "I am property 2" }

So all the contents of Class1 are in $object1 , except Method1 , i don't know why methods doesn't show while dumping objects.

Now what if we want to access $property1 only. Its simple , we do var_dump($object1->property1); , we just added ->property1 , we pointed to it.

we can also access Method1() , we do var_dump($object1->Method1());.

Now suppose i want to access $property1 from inside Method1() , i will do this

<?php 

class Class1
{
    public $property1 = "I am property 1";
    public $property2 = "I am property 2";

    public function Method1()
    {   
        $object2 = new Class1;
        return $object2->property1;
    }
}

$object1 = new Class1;
var_dump($object1->Method1()); 

we created $object2 = new Class1; which is a new copy of Class1 or we can say an instance. Then we pointed to property1 from $object2

return $object2->property1;

This will print string(15) "I am property 1" in the browser.

Now instead of doing this inside Method1()

$object2 = new Class1;
return $object2->property1;

We do this

return $this->property1;

The $this object is used inside the class to refer to the class itself.

It is an alternative for creating new object and then returning it like this

$object2 = new Class1;
return $object2->property1;

Another example

<?php 

class Class1
{
    public $property1 = 119;
    public $property2 = 666;
    public $result;

    public function Method1()
    {   
        $this->result = $this->property1 + $this->property2;
        return $this->result;
    }
}

$object1 = new Class1;
var_dump($object1->Method1());

We created 2 properties containing integers and then we added them and put the result in $this->result.

Do not forget that

$this->property1 = $property1 = 119

they have that same value .. etc

I hope that explains the idea.

This series of videos will help you a lot in OOP

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe30vg_FG4OSEHH6bRF8FrA7wmoAMUZLv