1.2.254. Could Be Class Constant¶

When a property is defined, with a default value, then read, but never modified, it could be turned into a constant.

Such a property may initially be intended to have a value update, but that never turned out in the code.

By making the property a constant, it makes visible its constant nature, and reduce the complexity of the code.

<?php

class foo {
    // $this->bar is never modified.
    private $bar = 1;

    // $this->foofoo is modified, at least once
    private $foofoo = 2;

    function method($a) {
        $this->foofoo = $this->bar + $a + $this->foofoo;

        return $this->foofoo;
    }

}

?>

See also Class Constants https://www.php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.constants.php.

1.2.254.1. Connex PHP features¶

class-constant

visibility

1.2.254.1.1. Suggestions¶

Turn the property into a class constant

1.2.254.1.2. Specs¶

Short name	Classes/CouldBeClassConstant
Rulesets	All, Class Review
Exakat since	0.8.4
PHP Version	All
Severity	Minor
Time To Fix	Quick (30 mins)
Precision	Very high
Related rule	Never Called Parameter, Unused Parameter
Available in	Entreprise Edition, Exakat Cloud