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ReflectionClass::newLazyGhost

(PHP 8 >= 8.4.0)

ReflectionClass::newLazyGhost — Creates a new lazy ghost instance

Description

public ReflectionClass::newLazyGhost(callable $initializer, int $options = 0): object

Creates a new lazy ghost instance of the class, attaching the initializer to it. The constructor is not called, and properties are not set to their default value. However, the object will be automatically initialized by invoking the initializer the first time its state is observed or modified. See Initialization Triggers and Initialization Sequence.

Parameters

initializer
The initializer is a callback with the following signature: 
initializer(object $object): void
object
The object being initialized. At this point, the object is no longer marked as lazy, and accessing it does not trigger initialization again.
The initializer function must return null or no value.
options

options can be a combination of the following flags:

ReflectionClass::SKIP_INITIALIZATION_ON_SERIALIZE
By default, serializing a lazy object triggers its initialization. Setting this flag prevents initialization, allowing lazy objects to be serialized without being initialized.

Return Values

Returns a lazy ghost instance. If the object has no properties, or if all its properties are static or virtual, a normal (non-lazy) instance is returned. See also Lifecycle of Lazy Objects.

Errors/Exceptions

An Error if the class is internal or extends an internal class except stdClass.

Examples

Example #1 Basic usage

<?php

class Example {
    public function __construct(public int $prop) {
        echo __METHOD__, "\n";
    }
}

$reflector = new ReflectionClass(Example::class);
$object = $reflector->newLazyGhost(function (Example $object) {
     $object->__construct(1);
});

var_dump($object);
var_dump($object instanceof Example);

// Triggers initialization, and fetches the property after that
var_dump($object->prop);

?>

The above example will output:

lazy ghost object(Example)#3 (0) {
  ["prop"]=>
  uninitialized(int)
}
bool(true)
Example::__construct
int(1)

See Also

© 1997–2025 The PHP Documentation Group
Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License v3.0 or later.
https://www.php.net/manual/en/reflectionclass.newlazyghost.php