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 PatchesPull RequestsHistoryAllCommentsChangesGit/SVN commits              [2016-11-01 17:39 UTC] requinix@php.net
 
-Status:  Open
+Status:  Duplicate
-Package: PHP Language Specification
+Package: Scripting Engine problem
  [2016-11-01 17:39 UTC] requinix@php.net
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Description: ------------ I'd like to propose that when implementing/extending that type-hints for return values can be fulfilled by any sub-class of the same type. In other words, sub-classes, when implementing/extending a method, should be able to provide a stricter type-hint for their return value, so long as it is a sub-class of the parent's type-hint. Please see the test script for an example; in it I would expect to be able to provide a return type-hint of "Bar", as it is a sub-type of "Foo", therefore meeting the original requirements while clarifying that the sub-class is more specific in what specific flavour of "Foo" it will actually return. There is a similar issue (#60107) in which the Liskov Substitution Principle is referenced, however, while allowing this behaviour on method arguments might breach LSP, I believe doing so only for return types should be okay. Test script: --------------- class Foo {} class Bar extends Foo {} abstract class MyType { abstract function example(): Foo; } class MyTypeImpl extends MyType { function example(): Bar { /* Do something here */ } } Expected result: ---------------- The implementation of the example method by "MyTypeImpl" should be accepted as a valid implementation of the method in "MyType". Actual result: -------------- Fatal error: Declaration of MyTypeImpl::example(Bar $value) must be compatible with MyType::example(Foo $value) in test.php on line 12