Static class initializer in PHP

Question

I have an helper class with some static functions. All the functions in the class require a ‘heavy’ initialization function to run once (as if it were a constructor).

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Answer 1

There is a way to call the init() method once and forbid it's usage, you can turn the function into private initializer and ivoke it after class declaration like this:

class Example {
    private static function init() {
        // do whatever needed for class initialization
    }
}
(static function () {
    static::init();
})->bindTo(null, Example::class)();

Answer 2

NOTE: This is exactly what OP said they did. (But didn't show code for.) I show the details here, so that you can compare it to the accepted answer. My point is that OP's original instinct was, IMHO, better than the answer he accepted.

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Given how highly upvoted the accepted answer is, I'd like to point out the "naive" answer to one-time initialization of static methods, is hardly more code than that implementation of Singleton -- and has an essential advantage.

final class MyClass  {
    public static function someMethod1() {
        MyClass::init();
        // whatever
    }

    public static function someMethod2() {
        MyClass::init();
        // whatever
    }


    private static $didInit = false;

    private static function init() {
        if (!self::$didInit) {
            self::$didInit = true;
            // one-time init code.
        }
    }

    // private, so can't create an instance.
    private function __construct() {
        // Nothing to do - there are no instances.
    }
}

The advantage of this approach, is that you get to call with the straightforward static function syntax:

MyClass::someMethod1();

Contrast it to the calls required by the accepted answer:

MyClass::getInstance->someMethod1();

As a general principle, it is best to pay the coding price once, when you code a class, to keep callers simpler.

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Of all the answers (including this one), I prefer Victor Nicollet's answer. Simple. No extra coding required. No "advanced" coding to understand. (I recommend including FrancescoMM's comment, to make sure "init" will never execute twice.)

So I could have not bothered to write this answer. But so many people upvoted the accepted answer, that I conclude some people are simply not aware of the obvious, "naive", approach (that I show here). Understand this as a starting point.

Answer 3

Sounds like you'd be better served by a singleton rather than a bunch of static methods

class Singleton
{
  /**
   * 
   * @var Singleton
   */
  private static $instance;

  private function __construct()
  {
    // Your "heavy" initialization stuff here
  }

  public static function getInstance()
  {
    if ( is_null( self::$instance ) )
    {
      self::$instance = new self();
    }
    return self::$instance;
  }

  public function someMethod1()
  {
    // whatever
  }

  public function someMethod2()
  {
    // whatever
  }
}

And then, in usage

// As opposed to this
Singleton::someMethod1();

// You'd do this
Singleton::getInstance()->someMethod1();

Answer 4

// file Foo.php
class Foo
{
  static function init() { /* ... */ }
}

Foo::init();

This way, the initialization happens when the class file is included. You can make sure this only happens when necessary (and only once) by using autoloading.

Answer 5

Note - the RFC proposing this is still in the draft state.

---

class Singleton
{
    private static function __static()
    {
        //...
    }
    //...
}

proposed for PHP 7.x (see https://wiki.php.net/rfc/static_class_constructor )

Answer 6

Actually, I use a public static method __init__() on my static classes that require initialization (or at least need to execute some code). Then, in my autoloader, when it loads a class it checks is_callable($class, '__init__'). If it is, it calls that method. Quick, simple and effective...