The ReflectionClass class

(PHP 5, PHP 7)

Introduction

The ReflectionClass class reports information about a class.

Class synopsis

ReflectionClass implements Reflector {

/* Constants */

const integer IS_IMPLICIT_ABSTRACT = 16 ;

const integer IS_EXPLICIT_ABSTRACT = 32 ;

const integer IS_FINAL = 64 ;

/* Properties */

public $name ;

/* Methods */

public __construct ( mixed $argument )

public static string export ( mixed $argument [, bool $return = false ] )

public mixed getConstant ( string $name )

public array getConstants ( void )

public ReflectionMethod getConstructor ( void )

public array getDefaultProperties ( void )

public string getDocComment ( void )

public int getEndLine ( void )

public ReflectionExtension getExtension ( void )

public string getExtensionName ( void )

public string getFileName ( void )

public array getInterfaceNames ( void )

public array getInterfaces ( void )

public ReflectionMethod getMethod ( string $name )

public array getMethods ([ int $filter ] )

public int getModifiers ( void )

public string getName ( void )

public string getNamespaceName ( void )

public object getParentClass ( void )

public array getProperties ([ int $filter ] )

public ReflectionProperty getProperty ( string $name )

public string getShortName ( void )

public int getStartLine ( void )

public array getStaticProperties ( void )

public mixed getStaticPropertyValue ( string $name [, mixed &$def_value ] )

public array getTraitAliases ( void )

public array getTraitNames ( void )

public array getTraits ( void )

public bool hasConstant ( string $name )

public bool hasMethod ( string $name )

public bool hasProperty ( string $name )

public bool implementsInterface ( string $interface )

public bool inNamespace ( void )

public bool isAbstract ( void )

public bool isAnonymous ( void )

public bool isCloneable ( void )

public bool isFinal ( void )

public bool isInstance ( object $object )

public bool isInstantiable ( void )

public bool isInterface ( void )

public bool isInternal ( void )

public bool isIterateable ( void )

public bool isSubclassOf ( string $class )

public bool isTrait ( void )

public bool isUserDefined ( void )

public object newInstance ( mixed $args [, mixed $... ] )

public object newInstanceArgs ([ array $args ] )

public object newInstanceWithoutConstructor ( void )

public void setStaticPropertyValue ( string $name , string $value )

public string __toString ( void )

}

Properties

name: Name of the class. Read-only, throws ReflectionException in attempt to write.

Predefined Constants

ReflectionClass Modifiers

ReflectionClass::IS_IMPLICIT_ABSTRACT: Indicates class that is abstract because it has some abstract methods.
ReflectionClass::IS_EXPLICIT_ABSTRACT: Indicates class that is abstract because of its definition.
ReflectionClass::IS_FINAL: Indicates final class.

ReflectionClass::__construct — Constructs a ReflectionClass
ReflectionClass::export — Exports a class
ReflectionClass::getConstant — Gets defined constant
ReflectionClass::getConstants — Gets constants
ReflectionClass::getConstructor — Gets the constructor of the class
ReflectionClass::getDefaultProperties — Gets default properties
ReflectionClass::getDocComment — Gets doc comments
ReflectionClass::getEndLine — Gets end line
ReflectionClass::getExtension — Gets a ReflectionExtension object for the extension which defined the class
ReflectionClass::getExtensionName — Gets the name of the extension which defined the class
ReflectionClass::getFileName — Gets the filename of the file in which the class has been defined
ReflectionClass::getInterfaceNames — Gets the interface names
ReflectionClass::getInterfaces — Gets the interfaces
ReflectionClass::getMethod — Gets a ReflectionMethod for a class method.
ReflectionClass::getMethods — Gets an array of methods
ReflectionClass::getModifiers — Gets modifiers
ReflectionClass::getName — Gets class name
ReflectionClass::getNamespaceName — Gets namespace name
ReflectionClass::getParentClass — Gets parent class
ReflectionClass::getProperties — Gets properties
ReflectionClass::getProperty — Gets a ReflectionProperty for a class's property
ReflectionClass::getShortName — Gets short name
ReflectionClass::getStartLine — Gets starting line number
ReflectionClass::getStaticProperties — Gets static properties
ReflectionClass::getStaticPropertyValue — Gets static property value
ReflectionClass::getTraitAliases — Returns an array of trait aliases
ReflectionClass::getTraitNames — Returns an array of names of traits used by this class
ReflectionClass::getTraits — Returns an array of traits used by this class
ReflectionClass::hasConstant — Checks if constant is defined
ReflectionClass::hasMethod — Checks if method is defined
ReflectionClass::hasProperty — Checks if property is defined
ReflectionClass::implementsInterface — Implements interface
ReflectionClass::inNamespace — Checks if in namespace
ReflectionClass::isAbstract — Checks if class is abstract
ReflectionClass::isAnonymous — Checks if class is anonymous
ReflectionClass::isCloneable — Returns whether this class is cloneable
ReflectionClass::isFinal — Checks if class is final
ReflectionClass::isInstance — Checks class for instance
ReflectionClass::isInstantiable — Checks if the class is instantiable
ReflectionClass::isInterface — Checks if the class is an interface
ReflectionClass::isInternal — Checks if class is defined internally by an extension, or the core
ReflectionClass::isIterateable — Checks if iterateable
ReflectionClass::isSubclassOf — Checks if a subclass
ReflectionClass::isTrait — Returns whether this is a trait
ReflectionClass::isUserDefined — Checks if user defined
ReflectionClass::newInstance — Creates a new class instance from given arguments.
ReflectionClass::newInstanceArgs — Creates a new class instance from given arguments.
ReflectionClass::newInstanceWithoutConstructor — Creates a new class instance without invoking the constructor.
ReflectionClass::setStaticPropertyValue — Sets static property value
ReflectionClass::__toString — Returns the string representation of the ReflectionClass object.

User Contributed Notes

danbettles at yahoo dot co dot uk

7 years ago


To reflect on a namespaced class in PHP 5.3, you must always specify the fully qualified name of the class - even if you've aliased the containing namespace using a "use" statement.



So instead of:



<?php

use App\Core as Core;

$oReflectionClass = new ReflectionClass('Core\Singleton');

?>



You would type:



<?php

use App\Core as Core;

$oReflectionClass = new ReflectionClass('App\Core\Singleton');

?>

Anonymous

2 years ago


Reflecting an alias will give you a reflection of the resolved class.

<?php

class X {
    
}

class_alias('X','Y');
class_alias('Y','Z');
$z = new ReflectionClass('Z');
echo $z->getName(); // X

?>

Anonymous

4 years ago


Unserialized reflection class cause error.



<?php

/**

 * abc

 */

class a{}



$ref = new ReflectionClass('a');

$ref = unserialize(serialize($ref));

var_dump($ref);

var_dump($ref->getDocComment());



// object(ReflectionClass)#2 (1) {

//   ["name"]=>

//   string(1) "a"

// }

// PHP Fatal error:  ReflectionClass::getDocComment(): Internal error: Failed to retrieve the reflection object

?>

YoungOfCthulhu

7 months ago


It is also possible to do reflection from within the class and get the methods for instance. 

<?php

class test
{
    private $test = "";

    public function setTest($test)
    {
        $this->test = $test;
        return $this;
    }

    public function getTest()
    {
        return $this->test;
    }
    
    public function run(){
        $class = new ReflectionClass('test');
        $methods = $class->getMethods();
        var_dump($methods);
    }
}

Called from another php file you get the proper result:
array(3) {
  [0]=>
  &object(ReflectionMethod)#3 (2) {
    ["name"]=>
    string(8) "setTest"
    ["class"]=>
    string(4) "test"
  }
  [1]=>
  &object(ReflectionMethod)#4 (2) {
    ["name"]=>
    string(8) "getTest"
    ["class"]=>
    string(4) "test"
  }
  [2]=>
  &object(ReflectionMethod)#5 (2) {
    ["name"]=>
    string(3) "run"
    ["class"]=>
    string(4) "test"
  }
}