Re: [PHP-DEV] [RFC] [Discussion] Serializable closures from constant expressions

Hi

On 2026-07-04 11:02, Nicolas Grekas wrote:
> I'd also be fine with a limited version of this RFC that'd remove the
> serialize-related part and that'd keep only the proposed 
> Reflection-based
> API. This is the very core where engine support is needed. The 
> serialize
> part would make attributes work seamlessly with backends that use
> serialize(), but my use cases build on the deepclone/VarExporter
> extension/components, and those need only reflection.
> 
> In case that can help bring a broader consensus.

As indicated in my previous email, I'm also concerned about the 
Reflection-based API and don't consider it good language design. Given 
that the Reflection-based API needs Reflection and the specific 
constraint of “the serialized payload is only valid until the next 
deployment”, I also don't see how it would enable anything that you 
can't already do.

- For public first class callables, just generate a first class 
callable.
- For private and protected ones generate `(new ReflectionMethod($class, 
$method))->getClosure()`.
- For full Closures generate the the appropriate Reflection chain 
accessing the right Closure, e.g. `(new ReflectionProperty($class, 
$method))->getAttributes()[$attrNo]->getArguments()[$argumentNo]`.

The proposed new API would effectively do the same, and then add the 
extra safety checks that you, from what I understand, wouldn't need for 
this use case.

Best regards
Tim Düsterhus