PHP 7.0.6 Released

interface_exists

(PHP 5 >= 5.0.2, PHP 7)

interface_existsChecks if the interface has been defined

Description

bool interface_exists ( string $interface_name [, bool $autoload = true ] )

Checks if the given interface has been defined.

Parameters

interface_name

The interface name

autoload

Whether to call __autoload or not by default.

Return Values

Returns TRUE if the interface given by interface_name has been defined, FALSE otherwise.

Examples

Example #1 interface_exists() example

<?php
// Check the interface exists before trying to use it
if (interface_exists('MyInterface')) {
    class 
MyClass implements MyInterface
    
{
        
// Methods
    
}
}

?>

See Also

User Contributed Notes

CoR
5 months ago
Class and Interface share SAME namespace!

class k{}

interface k {}    // Fatal error: Cannot redeclare class k
maxim at inbox dot ru
3 years ago
If you want to check for included interface and you already register spl autoloader - it will crash. Becassue autoloader trying to load `string` and he doesnt matter is it class or not.
Iv found several ways :
1 - unregister AL - -> check for Ifaces - -> register Autoloader

2 - $ifaces = array_flip(get_declared_interfaces());
if($ifaces["MyIface"]) // empty // isset .

Interfaces are not bad, you can build correct geomentry of system , with validation by funcs / vars / const .
Also they are good to storage variables <?php
ROOT
::THEMES ; ROOT::LOC ; ?> . Much faster then Define, but you cant put algorithms inside, only complite strings / __file__ / etc.
andrey at php dot net
11 years ago
As far as I remember interface_exists() was added in 5.0.2 . In 5.0.0 and 5.0.1 class_exists() used to return TRUE when asked for a existing interface. Starting 5.0.2 class_exists() doesn't do that anymore.
nils dot rocine at gmail dot com
4 years ago
A little note on namespaces that may be obvious to some, but was not obvious to me.

Although you can make the below statement when the statement is in the same namespace as the interface/class declaration MyInterface...
<?php
$foo
instanceof MyInterface
?>

Making use of the interface_exists, or class_exists functions, you must enter the full namespaced interface name like so (even if the function call is from the same namespace.)
<?php
interface_exists
(__NAMESPACE__ . '\MyInterface', false);
?>
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