PHP 7.0.6 Released

    get_declared_classes

    (PHP 4, PHP 5, PHP 7)

    get_declared_classes — Returns an array with the name of the defined classes

    Description

    array get_declared_classes ( void )

    Gets the declared classes.

    Return Values

    Returns an array of the names of the declared classes in the current script.

    Note:

    Note that depending on what extensions you have compiled or loaded into PHP, additional classes could be present. This means that you will not be able to define your own classes using these names. There is a list of predefined classes in the Predefined Classes section of the appendices.

    Examples

    Example #1 get_declared_classes() example

    <?php
    print_r    (get_declared_classes());
    ?>

    The above example will output something similar to:

    Array
(
    [0] => stdClass
    [1] => __PHP_Incomplete_Class
    [2] => Directory
)

    See Also

    User Contributed Notes

    matt-php at DONT-SPAM-ME dot bitdifferent dot com
    11 years ago
    The array returned by this function will be in the order the classes were defined / included / required and this order does not appear to change.

    For example:

    <?PHP

    //define classone
    class classone { }

    //define classtwo
    class classtwo { }

    //This will show X classes (built-ins, extensions etc) with
    //classone and classtwo as the last two elements

    print_r(get_declared_classes());

    //define classthree
    class classthree { }

    //...and four
    class classfour { }

    //Shows the same result as before with class three and four appended
    print_r(get_declared_classes());

    ?>

    Output:

    Array
    (
       [0] => stdClass
       [1] .... other defined classes....
       [10] => classone
       [11] => classtwo
    )

    and...

    Array
    (
       [0] => stdClass
       [1] .... other defined classes....
       [10] => classone
       [11] => classtwo
       [12] => classthree
       [13] => classfour
    )
    smokey
    13 years ago
    you cannot remove them. they are "defined", which happens when the class is being loaded from the parser. you just deleted an instance of a class.
    brain at code dot com
    2 years ago
    get-declared-classes makes no sense at all, if u maybe, later for production, merge class files in one package file.

    lets say: package.php
    print_r(get_declared_classes());
    class declaredHere { }
    print_r(get_declared_classes());

    so in this case, the declaredHerr class is defined at the first call of print_r();
    because PHP-complier runs a hole file and declare Stuff before running the code.

    But (Lovely PHP):
    print_r(get_declared_classes());
    if(true){
    class declaredHere { }
    }
    print_r(get_declared_classes());
    Will print the declaredHere class only in the second print_r.

    Its not a Bug it a...
    matt at mattsoft dot net
    10 years ago
    classes can't be unloaded. probably not very practical to implement that in a future version. I wouldn't go out of my way to do it if I were zend. you're better off finding a workaround. it's better programming technique to find a way around having to do that anyway.

    http://www.zend.com/zend/week/week223.php#Heading10
    dcahh at gmx de
    8 years ago
    This function considers only classes and subclasses. Not subsubclasses.

    In fact I have code that provides an abstract class and then classes using this abstract class. Further I have subclasses to my concrete classes - which is why my subclasses are not listed within the returned array.
    dexen + goofy _ pl
    8 years ago
    Summary:
    * in PHP 5.1 class names have case preserved
    * contrary, in PHP 4.4 class names are downcased, withe exception of a few build-in ones

    The get_declared_classes() funcition returns the list of names with case preserved, as of PHP 5.1 series (prolly 5.0 too, but i have no way to test it right now). Since PHP generally is caseless in regard to names of classes, this may come at a surprise. Also, this could potentially break older code asssuming downcased list.

    Take extra care when  checking for existence of a class. Following example is, potentially, error prone: <?php in_array( $className, $classget_declared_classes() ) ?>

    A sure-fire (while slower) way would be to iterate over the array and normalize case to, say, lower:

    <?php
    $exists     = FALSE;
    $className = strtolower( $className );
    foreach (     get_declared_classes() as $c ) {
        if (     $className === strtolower( $c ) ) {
                $exists = TRUE;
            break;
        }
    }    ?>

    Optimization of the above snippet is left as a simple excercise to the reader ;)
    -- dexen deVries
    Anonymous
    11 years ago
    Regarding note of 3-21:

    <?php

    class myclass {}

    $class = 'myclass';
    $instance = new $class();

    ?>

    This function could also be used to determine the names of classes defined in a particular file by calling it before and after include. It's hardly a pointless function.
    Jazeps Basko
    12 years ago
    In PHP5, you don't get declared interfaces by calling this function!!!
    To get interfaces you should use get_declared_interfaces(). However, to check if an interface is already defined, you should use class_exists()! This is strange, but PHP team does not think so.
    yarco dot wang at gmail dot com
    2 years ago
    those above comments are too old.
    now, whatever the order is, the output will be the same:

    <?php
    class Test1
    {}

    print_r(get_declared_classes());

    class     Test2
    {}

    print_r(get_declared_classes());

    ?>

    will output the same result.
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