Using namespaces: Aliasing/Importing
(PHP 5 >= 5.3.0, PHP 7)
The ability to refer to an external fully qualified name with an alias, or importing, is an important feature of namespaces. This is similar to the ability of unix-based filesystems to create symbolic links to a file or to a directory.
All versions of PHP that support namespaces support three kinds of aliasing or importing: aliasing a class name, aliasing an interface name, and aliasing a namespace name. PHP 5.6+ also allows aliasing or importing function and constant names.
In PHP, aliasing is accomplished with the use operator. Here is an example showing all 5 kinds of importing:
Example #1 importing/aliasing with the use operator
<?php
namespace foo;
use My\Full\Classname as Another;
// this is the same as use My\Full\NSname as NSname
use My\Full\NSname;
// importing a global class
use ArrayObject;
// importing a function (PHP 5.6+)
use function My\Full\functionName;
// aliasing a function (PHP 5.6+)
use function My\Full\functionName as func;
// importing a constant (PHP 5.6+)
use const My\Full\CONSTANT;
$obj = new namespace\Another; // instantiates object of class foo\Another
$obj = new Another; // instantiates object of class My\Full\Classname
NSname\subns\func(); // calls function My\Full\NSname\subns\func
$a = new ArrayObject(array(1)); // instantiates object of class ArrayObject
// without the "use ArrayObject" we would instantiate an object of class foo\ArrayObject
func(); // calls function My\Full\functionName
echo CONSTANT; // echoes the value of My\Full\CONSTANT
?>
PHP additionally supports a convenience shortcut to place multiple use statements on the same line
Example #2 importing/aliasing with the use operator, multiple use statements combined
<?php
use My\Full\Classname as Another, My\Full\NSname;
$obj = new Another; // instantiates object of class My\Full\Classname
NSname\subns\func(); // calls function My\Full\NSname\subns\func
?>
Importing is performed at compile-time, and so does not affect dynamic class, function or constant names.
Example #3 Importing and dynamic names
<?php
use My\Full\Classname as Another, My\Full\NSname;
$obj = new Another; // instantiates object of class My\Full\Classname
$a = 'Another';
$obj = new $a; // instantiates object of class Another
?>
In addition, importing only affects unqualified and qualified names. Fully qualified names are absolute, and unaffected by imports.
Example #4 Importing and fully qualified names
<?php
use My\Full\Classname as Another, My\Full\NSname;
$obj = new Another; // instantiates object of class My\Full\Classname
$obj = new \Another; // instantiates object of class Another
$obj = new Another\thing; // instantiates object of class My\Full\Classname\thing
$obj = new \Another\thing; // instantiates object of class Another\thing
?>
Scoping rules for importing
The use keyword must be declared in the outermost scope of a file (the global scope) or inside namespace declarations. This is because the importing is done at compile time and not runtime, so it cannot be block scoped. The following example will show an illegal use of the use keyword:
Example #5 Illegal importing rule
<?php
namespace Languages;
function toGreenlandic()
{
use Languages\Danish;
// ...
}
?>
Note:
Importing rules are per file basis, meaning included files will NOT inherit the parent file's importing rules.
Group use declarations
From PHP 7.0 onwards, classes, functions and constants being imported from the same namespace can be grouped together in a single use statement.
<?php
// Pre PHP 7 code
use some\namespace\ClassA;
use some\namespace\ClassB;
use some\namespace\ClassC as C;
use function some\namespace\fn_a;
use function some\namespace\fn_b;
use function some\namespace\fn_c;
use const some\namespace\ConstA;
use const some\namespace\ConstB;
use const some\namespace\ConstC;
// PHP 7+ code
use some\namespace\{ClassA, ClassB, ClassC as C};
use function some\namespace\{fn_a, fn_b, fn_c};
use const some\namespace\{ConstA, ConstB, ConstC};
English translation
You have asked to visit this site in English. For now, only the interface is translated, but not all the content yet.If you want to help me in translations, your contribution is welcome. All you need to do is register on the site, and send me a message asking me to add you to the group of translators, which will give you the opportunity to translate the pages you want. A link at the bottom of each translated page indicates that you are the translator, and has a link to your profile.
Thank you in advance.
Document created the 30/01/2003, last modified the 26/10/2018
Source of the printed document:https://www.gaudry.be/en/php-rf-language.namespaces.importing.html
The infobrol is a personal site whose content is my sole responsibility. The text is available under CreativeCommons license (BY-NC-SA). More info on the terms of use and the author.
References
These references and links indicate documents consulted during the writing of this page, or which may provide additional information, but the authors of these sources can not be held responsible for the content of this page.
The author This site is solely responsible for the way in which the various concepts, and the freedoms that are taken with the reference works, are presented here. Remember that you must cross multiple source information to reduce the risk of errors.
