What is the best way to convert an existing php class into Java?

Question

I have been tasked with converting several php classes into java classes, which is quickly becoming a nightmare for me. I understand the basic language structure, it being simil

Answer 1

Depending on the PHP code, this may be an almost impossible task. The other way around is much easier. PHP is a very dynamic language, and you can get away with things that are impossible in Java. One particularly disruptive thing is that a PHP variable may change type during execution. This is rarely used though, but it could happen. In addition, since PHP is loosely typed, there are a lot of implicit conversions. Some are coincidental, while others are important for the meaning of the program. And then there is the fact that PHP code isn't strictly object oriented, like Java is. Even in object oriented PHP programs, you will usually see some degree of procedural elements. These can not be mapped directly to Java code.

As Pyrolistical, I'm curious as to why you need to convert this code? If it's legacy code, wouldn't it be better to keep the PHP code running, and interface with it through some kind of service interface (SOAP, RPC, others)? You could then gradually replace parts over time.