m22/object-array

Allows arrays to work as objects.

0.2.0 2025-04-09 14:04 UTC

Requires

• php: ^8.4

Requires (Dev)

• nette/php-generator: ^4.1
• phpunit/phpunit: ^11.2

MIT

• Mykhailo Shyian

• php
• array
• OOP
• chaining

README

Allows arrays to work as objects.

Use methods chaining instead of nested functions.

use M22\ObjectArray as A;

$a = new A(['a', 'b', 'c']);

$a->diffAssoc($array1)
  ->plus($array2)
  ->sort()
  ->map($callback1)
  ->filter($callback2)
  ->keys()
  // ...

$count_letters = A::fromRange('a', 'z')->fillKeys(0);
$count_letters->t++;

$directories = A::fromExplode('/', $path);

Best suited for use as a Composer library.

Requirements

• PHP ≥ 8.3
• Composer

Installation

To add this library to your Composer project:

composer require m22/object-array

Usage

There are multiple ways to instantiate a new ObjectArray:

$a = new ObjectArray($array_or_object);
$b = ObjectArray::from($array_or_object);
$c = ObjectArray::fromFunction($with_arguments_or_without);

Where fromFunction() is not a real method, replace the Function part in it with any existing function, which normally returns an array or an object, with corresponding arguments. For example, fromStrSplit($string, $length). That function's result is then supplied to the constructor internally. Method optionally accepts other ObjectArray instances as arguments instead of arrays.

In case of instantiating from an array, its copy is stored in the new ObjectArray. And in case of instantiating from an object, there is a special handling.

• If it's another ObjectArray instance or an \ArrayObject instance, a copy of its internal array is stored in the new ObjectArray.
• If it's a \Traversable instance, a copy of its iterator is stored.
• Otherwise, an associative array of defined accessible non-static object properties is stored.

After that use any function, which accepts an array argument, as an ObjectArray method without supplying an array argument. For example:

• $object_array->filter($callback) is analog of array_filter($array, $callback),
• $object_array->diffKey($array2) of array_diff_key($array, $array2),
• $object_array->reset() of reset($array), etc.

If the function returns an array, the ObjectArray instance replaces its internal array with that function's result, and returns itself for chaining. Otherwise, it returns the function's result. Methods optionally accept other ObjectArray instances as arguments instead of arrays: $object_array->diffKey($object_array2).

An ObjectArray's internal array is stored in the public array property ($object_array->array), so it can be accessed or overwritten anytime.

There are other cases when an ObjectArray instance behaves the same as an array from which it's constructed:

• Accessing/creating/modifying array elements with square bracket syntax (some of these operations can also be done using object->property syntax)

$a = new ObjectArray(['a', $b, 'C' => $c]);

$a[1] === $b; // True.
$a['C'] === $c; // True.

$a[] = 'd';

$a['E'] = 1;
$a['E']++;

isset($a[0]);
unset($a['C']);

• Array destructuring

[$a, $b, $c] = new ObjectArray([1, 2, 3]);
['a' => $a, 'b' => $b] = new ObjectArray(['a' => 1, 'b' => 2])

• Array unpacking

$array = [...ObjectArray::from(['a', 'b', 'c'])];

• Traversing

foreach (ObjectArray::from(['a' => 1, 'b' => 2]) as $key => $value)

• JSON encoding

json_encode(new ObjectArray($array)) === json_encode($array); // True.

Development

When a new minor PHP version comes out, the ObjectArray methods need to be regenerated.

1. In the MethodsGenerator class review/update the CORE_MODULES list.
2. Increase PHP versions in composer.json and .gitlab-ci.yml.
3. Update dev-dependencies: composer u.
4. Run composer generate. If no code was changed, skip this process until the next PHP minor release.
5. Update the year in the LICENSE file.
6. Create and checkout new git branch, commit changes and push. Add and push new tag.