So I'm in the planning stages of a project where I'll probably be doing some heavy lifting in Python and serving up the output through PHP. Obviously this will entail transmitting data between Python and PHP and while I haven't had a chance to do performance testing to see if it's worth it to save to a database, the only other option was to serialize the data to a file that PHP could parse quickly. Obviously, the output from serialize() is going to be the fastest way to recieved the data.

As he was working on his own implementation, he came across a currently existing Python library (that adds the serialize support) and but found it lacking for what he needed. He continued on, working up his own customized implementation with all the features he needed. He includes both the Python and PHP code (cut and paste ready) as well as the results from the serialization of different data types.

It seems that PHP has moved a bit towards static typing, and languages like C# seem to be implementing some dynamic features. Are we going towards a "mixed" language with static and dynamic typing? What's the "sweet spot" between completely static (like C++) and completely dynamic typing (like Python)?

He compares the benefits of static and dynamic, and a particular place where PHP falls a bit flat - type hinting in certain situations. He agrees, though, that dynamic typing is "the way to go" since it gives the developer the flexibility they might need for more "typing tricks" in their apps. Oh, and "duck typing"...

A valid variable name starts with a letter or underscore, followed by any number of letters, numbers, or underscores. As a regular expression, it would be expressed thus: '[a-zA-Z_x7f-xff][a-zA-Z0-9_x7f-xff]*'

Technically, you can get around this in two different ways - variable varaibles and the more complex notation with curly braces. He points to the compact function for proof that they're set.

It is hard to test code that uses singletons. The same is true for code that uses global variables. Typically, the code you want to test is coupled strongly with a global variable and you cannot control its creation. An additional problem is the fact that one test's change to a global variable might break another test.

You can disable the backup option if you'd like by setting the $backupGlobals option in your test to false. This lets PHPUnit know that you want to leave the globals (and superglobals) alone during the run.

In the last article, I explained how to work with a couple of private properties that partially comprised the API of a basic class, which is useful for saving simple strings to a specified text file.

This part builds on this previous example but changes up the subclass (an instance of DataSaver) to use what they call an "accessor" - a function in the parent that returns the private variable/contstant's current value when called.

Javascript has implied globals. When you skip the var in var a = 1; and go a = 1;, then a becomes a global variable. Some consider this an error in the language. [...] In PHP on the other hand, variables are local. [...] So how about this: adopt the $GLOBALS convention in your JavaScripts?

His example proposes the creation of a GLOBALS object you can assign properties to that can be used anywhere. This helps to keep the variables you truely want to be global contained, though it doesn't do much except provide a convention.

I've put up the latest installment in my "Grails for PHP developers". Rather than delve too much more in to Grails head on, I'm taking this installment (and at least the next one) to delve more in to the Groovy language itself. Groovy offers similarities to PHP, but also many differences which can trip you up if you're not careful. I'll try to lay those out as best I can in the next couple of installments.

This new part of the series goes back and puts the spotlight on GRoovy, the base of the Groovy/Grails combo. He talks about working with variables and arrays as containers for multiple pieces of data and some possible gotchas that could come up along the way.

There's three new tutorials posted:

• Ruby Block Scope - the basics of Ruby block scope, a common point of confusion for PHP developers new to Ruby.
• Variable Arguments - an article that shows two common API patterns found in Rails, variable arguments and option hashes, and how to implement them both in PHP.
• Regular Expressions in Ruby - a useful reference that maps all of the common PHP regular expression functions to the equivalents in Ruby.

Check out the rest of the site for even more great content.

Yes, you know what code you write and you also know how it works. You can find your way around it. But what if you haven't touched a piece of code for months or even years. Or what if someone else needs to work with your code. Prevent a hell: use clearly readable variable names and constants.

He points out an example of what not to do - a specific line from the FUDForum code with multiple variables named with a single letter of the alphabet in a complex if() evaluation. He suggests even using "namespacing" of sorts (PHP6 here we come!) to help compartmentalize your variables to make things even easier.

I got karma to SPL_Types and added a new SplFloat() object, a few warning typos and more "flexible" strict modes for different types.

SPL_Types are a way to make PHP strongly typed (no adapting variables) to help make a PHP application "more correct" by forcing the variable's type to stay the same. His example shows the creation of a few variables with these new methods and how they can be used, both correctly and incorrectly.