PHP OOP: Chainable objects?

Question

I have tried to find a good introduction on chainable OOP objects in PHP, but without any good result yet.

How can something like this be done?

$this->className->add('1','value');
$this->className->type('string');
$this->classname->doStuff();

Or even: $this->className->add('1','value')->type('string')->doStuff();

Thanks a lot!

Gumbo · Accepted Answer · 2010-05-28 14:44:27Z

17

The key is to return the object itself within each method:

class Foo {
    function add($arg1, $arg2) {
        // …
        return $this;
    }
    function type($arg1) {
        // …
        return $this;
    }
    function doStuff() {
        // …
        return $this;
    }
}

Every method, that returns the object itself, can be used as an intermediate in a method chain. See Wikipedia’s article on Method chaining for some further details.

edited May 28, 2010 at 14:44

answered May 28, 2010 at 14:39

Gumbo

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1 Comment

Industrial Over a year ago

Amazing how easy this was to do. Had no idea. Thanks a lot Gumbo!

Vic · Accepted Answer · 2010-05-28 14:39:18Z

11

just return $this in the add() and type() methods:

function add() {
    // other code
    return $this;
}

answered May 28, 2010 at 14:39

Vic

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Comments

Mark Baker · Accepted Answer · 2010-05-28 15:07:28Z

5

Another term for this is the Fluent Interface

answered May 28, 2010 at 15:07

Mark Baker

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1 Comment

koen Over a year ago

Adding a note: method chaining is but one technique in creating a fluent interface.

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