Chaining

The word chaining appears in several distinct PHP concepts:

• Chaining assignation: assigning the same value to several variables in a single expression, using successive = operators, e.g. $a = $b = $c = 0;. Evaluated right to left. Magic methods are not triggered
• Method chaining: calling methods successively on the return value of the previous call, e.g. $object->m1()->m2()->m3(). The result of each method call is used to call the next one
• Fluent interface: an object-oriented API design pattern that relies extensively on method chaining to create readable, expressive code. Not related to the interface keyword
• Chaining exceptions: re-throwing a caught exception wrapped inside a new exception, preserving the original error context via Exception::getPrevious()
• Chaining new without parentheses: since PHP 8.4, calling a method, accessing a property, or invoking __invoke() directly on a new expression without wrapping it in parentheses, e.g. new X()->foo().

Documentation

See Also

• Method Chaining
• Exception Chaining
• Fluent Interface

Related

• Chaining Assignation
• Fluent Interface
• Chaining Exceptions
• Chaining New Without Parenthesis
• Methodcall
• Expressive Interface