Aliases

Learn to alias long class names with use ... as.

Aliases with use ... as

To shorten long class names you can write use App\Services\AccountService as AccountSvc;. Afterwards new AccountSvc() is enough.

The as keyword gives the class a different short name. The real class name does not change; only its use in this file is shortened.

When do you need an alias?

If the same file needs same-named classes from two namespaces, an alias is required. For example, when both App\Models\User and App\Auth\User are needed, import one as UserModel and the other as UserAuth.

Otherwise PHP raises a collision error and the file does not run.

Exercise Use a class with an alias

Inside the App\Controller namespace, import App\Services\AccountService with the alias AccountSvc. Create new AccountSvc() and print the value returned by $svc->owner(). The demo uses braced syntax to define two namespaces in one file.

Show example solution

Write use App\Services\AccountService as AccountSvc;. Create with $svc = new AccountSvc(); and print with echo $svc->owner() . "\n";.
Example solution:
<?php

namespace App\Services {
    class AccountService {
        public function owner(): string {
            return "Alex";
        }
    }
}

namespace App\Controller {
    use App\Services\AccountService as AccountSvc;
    $svc = new AccountSvc();
    echo $svc->owner() . "\n";
}

Test yourself

What does use App\Services\User as UserSvc; do?
- It deletes the User class
- It creates a new UserSvc class
- It imports User under the name UserSvc
- It produces a copy of the User class
Show answer

It imports User under the name UserSvc — Correct. With as, the User class is imported under the name UserSvc.

Complete the alias statement

<?php
namespace App\Controller;

____ App\Services\AccountService as AccountSvc;

$cfg = ["alias" => "AccountSvc"];
$svc = new AccountSvc();

Show answer

<?php
namespace App\Controller;

use App\Services\AccountService as AccountSvc;

$cfg = ["alias" => "AccountSvc"];
$svc = new AccountSvc();

Match the alias concepts

use ... as

Gives an alias
App\Auth\User as UserAuth

Names the second User
new UserAuth()

Instantiates with alias
as

Alias keyword

Next lesson: Global namespace

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