Summary - Classes

Build a user class with class, property, method and $this.

Summary - Classes

In this group you learned PHP class basics: defining a class with class, adding a property with public $name, writing a method with function, in-class access with $this and creating an instance with new.

Now you will combine them into a real User class: a property, a method, access with $this and an instance with new, all together. This is the first step of the OOP journey.

All together

In the final task you will write a User class. It will have a $name property and an introduce method. The method will reach the property with $this->name and introduce itself with echo.

Then you will create an instance with new User() and call the method with $user->introduce(). This is the core loop of OOP: define, instantiate, call.

Exercise Complete the User class

Define a class named User. Add the property public $name = "Guest";. Write a method introduce; in the body write echo "I am " . $this->name . "\n";. After the class, create an instance with $user = new User(); and call the method with $user->introduce();.

Show example solution

Define the class, then write $user = new User(); and $user->introduce();.
Example solution:
<?php
// Write the User class and create an instance
class User {
    public $name = "Guest";
    function introduce() {
        echo "I am " . $this->name . "\n";
    }
}
$user = new User();
$user->introduce();

Test yourself

How do you access the $name property from inside a method?
- $name
- this.name
- $this->name
- self.name
Show answer

$this->name — Correct. $this->name accesses the $name property of the current instance.

Complete the instantiation

$user = ____ User();
$user->introduce();

Show answer

$user = new User();
$user->introduce();

Match the class parts

class

Class definition
public $name

Property
function introduce()

Method
new User()

Instantiation

Next lesson: The __construct method

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