


Is it bad practice to use the global keyword in PHP functions?
Jul 16, 2025 am 03:37 AMUsing global keywords is often considered a bad practice in PHP functions. 1. It destroys the encapsulation of the function, making the code difficult to maintain, test and debug; 2. It triggers tight coupling, making the function depend on the global scope, reducing reusability; 3. It increases the difficulty of testing and requires additional management of the global state; 4. It may cause unpredictable side effects, because global variables are easily modified arbitrarily; 5. It reduces readability, readers need to look for variable definitions. Alternatives include: passing variables as parameters, using dependency injection, storing truly global and unchanging values with constants, and refactoring the code structure to better manage shared state. Although it may be reasonable to use global occasionally in legacy systems, simple scripts, or specific frameworks, its use should be restricted and the reasons are clearly documented. Overall, global should be avoided unless there is a clear reason and the tradeoff is understood.
Yes, using the global
keyword inside PHP functions is generally considered bad practice. It breaks the function's encapsulation and makes your code harder to maintain, test, and debug. While it might seem convenient in the short term, especially for small scripts or quick fixes, relying on global
can lead to confusing dependencies and unexpected behavior as your application grows.

Why Using global
Can Be Problematic
-
Tight Coupling : Functions that use
global
variables become tightly coupled to the global scope. This makes them less reusable and harder to move or reflector. Harder to Test : Unit testing becomes more complicated because you have to manage global state before each test.
-
Unexpected Side Effects : Since global variables can be changed from anywhere, tracking down bugs caused by unintended modifications becomes much harder.
Readability Suffers : When someone reads your function, they need to know what
$GLOBALS
orglobal $var;
referers to, which isn't immediately clear unless they look elsewhere in the codebase.
Better Alternatives to Using global
Instead of pulling in global variables with global
, consider these alternatives:
-
Pass Variables as Parameters
This keeps your function self-contained and explicit about what it needs.function calculateTax($amount, $rate) { return $amount * $rate; }
Use Dependency Injection
Especially useful in object-oriented code. Pass needed values or objects into your class or method rather than relying on global access.Utilize Constants (for truly global values)
If a value is truly means to be global and unchanging (like a tax rate or API key), define it as a constant instead.define('TAX_RATE', 0.15);
Refactor Your Code Structure
If you're constantly needing access to global data, it might be a sign your code structure needs improvement—consider moving towards classes or services that manage shared state more cleanly.
When Might It Be Acceptable?
There are rare cases where using global
might be acceptable, such as:
- In legacy systems where refactoring would be too costly or risky
- For very simple procedure scripts that won't grow much
- When working with WordPress hooks or certain older frameworks that rely on global variables internally
Even in those cases, it's best to limit usage and clearly document why global
is being used.
In general, avoid global
unless you have a very specific reason and understand the trade-offs. Writing cleaner, more predictable functions will save you time and headaches later.
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