Ok, the title pun, is intended.

When I started out with PHP, every project I worked on required me to keep typing incessantly, not that I don’t like my keyboard or the keys on it, but sometimes the syntax does get to ya and not to mention the missing/dangling braces!

I reached a point where I needed a PHP IDE, [yes I was using plain text editor at that time], to help me with preserving my keyboard and my sanity. This is the time I also stumbled on some PHP shorthand techniques and the alternative syntax. I was reminded of this when my assistant, was breaking away at my precious keyboard. So I thought I did ask him to learn some.

And thats how this post came into being.

Some PHP alternative syntax and shorthand techniques.

IF-ELSE Conditional Construct.


1 if(condition) :
2
3 //statements
4
5 endif;


IF-ELSEIF-ELSE

1 if(condition) :
2
3 //statments
4
5 elseif(condition) :
6
7 //statments
8
9 elseif(condition) :
10
11 //statments
12
13 endif;


IF Statement in one line

1 $apple = "green";
2
3 print $eatit = ($applet !="gree") ? "Eat" : "Dont Eat";

SWITCH


1 switch($var):
2 case 1:
3 //statements
4 break;
5
6 case 2:
7 //statements
8 break;
9 case 3:
10 //statements
11 break;
12 endswitch;


WHILE


1 while(condition):
2 //statements;
3 endwhile


FOR


1 for(exp):
2 //statements;
3 endfor;


FOREACH


1 foreach(exp):
2 //statements;
3 endforeach;


ECHO

1. <?= $var; ?>

is same as

1. echo $var;

Why should you use PHP shorthand / Alternative Syntax?

1. Saves time with the ternary operators used in the if statement.
2. Saves your sanity, if you are writing 100s of lines of code, alternative syntax does help with the braces, ALOT!
3. Great to understand and debug.
4. End makes it easier to know which control structure is ending as compared to counting braces.
5. Small Code.

If you know any more short cuts or have suggestions, corrections please do help! Comment and let me know!

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