PHP magic method is a special function that is automatically triggered, used to respond to object-related events. They start with a double underscore without manual calls. 1.__construct() is used for object initialization and is automatically executed when creating an instance; 2.__destruct() performs cleaning operations when the object is destroyed; 3.__get() and __set() handle read and write undefined attributes; 4.__call() and __callStatic() handle undefined method calls; 5.__toString() defines the manifestation of the object when converting a string. These methods improve the flexibility and customizability of object behavior.

PHP magic methods are special functions that get triggered automatically in response to specific events or actions involving an object. They're called "magic" because they don't need to be called directly — they run behind the scenes when certain conditions are met. These methods always start with double underscores ( __ ), and they allow developers to customize how objects behave in various situations.

Here are a few commonly used magic methods in PHP:

__construct() – Object Initialization

This is probably the most widely used magic method. It's automatically called when a new instance of a class is created. You use it to set up initial values ??or perform setup tasks.

Example:

 class User {
    public function __construct($name) {
        echo "User {$name} created.";
    }
}

When you do new User("Alice") , the message will show up. It's not just for printing — it's often used to inject dependencies or initialize properties.

__destruct() – Cleanup After Object Is No Longer Needed

This method runs when an object is destroyed or when the script ends. It's useful for cleaning up resources like file handles, database connections, or memory.

Example:

 public function __destruct() {
    // Close a database connection or log something
}

Note: You can't pass parameters to __destruct() and it's not guaranteed to run if the script crashes or is terminated abruptly.

__get() and __set() – Handling Undefined Properties

These two methods help manage access to inaccessible or undefined properties.

• __get($property) is called when you try to read a property that's not accessible or doesn't exist.
• __set($property, $value) is triggered when writing to such a property.

They're useful for lazy loading or creating dynamic properties without explicitly defining them.

Example:

 class Product {
    private $data = [];

    public function __set($name, $value) {
        $this->data[$name] = $value;
    }

    public function __get($name) {
        return $this->data[$name] ?? null;
    }
}

Now you can do things like:

 $product = new Product();
$product->price = 100;
echo $product->price; // Outputs: 100

__call() and __callStatic() – Handling Undefined Methods

If you try to call a method that doesn't exist or isn't visible:

• __call($method, $args) handles instance method calls.
• __callStatic($method, $args) handles static method calls.

These are handy for implementing fallback logic or dynamic method handling.

Example:

 public function __call($method, $args) {
    if (strpos($method, 'get') === 0) {
        $property = lcfirst(substr($method, 3));
        return $this->$property ?? null;
    }
}

With this, calling $obj->getName() would return the value of $this->name if it exists, even if there's no explicit getName() method.

__toString() – Custom Object String Representation

This method allows an object to be treated like a string, for example when using echo $object .

You must return a string value from this method. If you return something else, PHP will throw an error.

Example:

 public function __toString() {
    return "This is a " . __CLASS__;
}

Now echo $obj; will output: This is a MyClass .

There are other magic methods too — like __invoke() , __sleep() , __wakeup() , __clone() , and more — but the ones above are the most commonly encountered in day-to-day development.

Basically that's it.

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