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class_implements

(PHP 5, PHP 7, PHP 8)

class_implements Return the interfaces which are implemented by the given class or interface

Description

class_implements(object|string $object_or_class, bool $autoload = true): array|false

This function returns an array with the names of the interfaces that the given object_or_class and its parents implement.

Parameters

object_or_class

An object (class instance) or a string (class or interface name).

autoload

Whether to autoload if not already loaded.

Return Values

An array on success, or false when the given class doesn't exist.

Examples

Example #1 class_implements() example

<?php

interface foo { }
class
bar implements foo {}

print_r(class_implements(new bar));

// you may also specify the parameter as a string
print_r(class_implements('bar'));

spl_autoload_register();

// use autoloading to load the 'not_loaded' class
print_r(class_implements('not_loaded', true));

?>

The above example will output something similar to:

Array
(
    [foo] => foo
)
Array
(
    [foo] => foo
)
Array
(
    [interface_of_not_loaded] => interface_of_not_loaded
)

Notes

Note: To check that an object implements an interface, instanceof or the is_a() function should be used instead.

See Also

User Contributed Notes

ludvig dot ericson at gmail dot nospam dot com
19 years ago
Hint:
<?php
in_array
("your-interface", class_implements($object_or_class_name));
?>
would check if 'your-interface' is ONE of the implemented interfaces.
Note that you can use something similar to be sure the class only implements that, (whyever you would want that?)
<?php
array("your-interface") == class_implements($object_or_class_name);
?>

I use the first technique to check if a module has the correct interface implemented, or else it throws an exception.
a dot panek at brainsware dot org
11 years ago
Calling class_implements with a non-loadable class name or a non-object results in a warning:

<?php
// Warning: class_implements(): Class abc does not exist and could not be loaded in /home/a.panek/Projects/sauce/lib/Sauce/functions.php on line 196

$interfaces = class_implements('abc');
?>

This is not documented and should just return FALSE as the documentation above says.
trollll23 at yahoo dot com
19 years ago
Luckily, it prints out superinterfaces as well in reverse order so iterative searching works fine:

<?php

interface InterfaceA { }

interface
InterfaceB extends InterfaceA { }

class
MyClass implements InterfaceB { }

print_r(class_implements(new MyClass()));

?>

prints out:

Array
(
[InterfaceB] => InterfaceB
[InterfaceA] => InterfaceA
)
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