Why Your PHP Code Sucks Without These PHP 8 Features?

Let’s be real — if you’re still coding in PHP 7 (or older, gasp!), your code is probably holding on to its flaws like an old car with worn-out brakes. Sure, it works. Sure, it gets the job done. But could it be smoother, faster, and more maintainable? Absolutely. PHP 8 came with a toolbox of new features that can transform your code from “meh” to marvelous. If you’re not using these, well… your PHP code kinda sucks. Here’s why.

1. Match Expressions

Remember when you had to write switch statements that looked more like a novella than a clean snippet of code? Yeah, those days are gone. PHP 8 introduces the match expression—a sleeker, more intuitive alternative to the switch statement.

Instead of repeating yourself with case after case, you can now write more concise and readable code. It’s like upgrading from a flip phone to a smartphone. Everything’s faster, sharper, and—let’s face it—way cooler.

Before (PHP 7):

switch ($status) {
    case 'active':
        $message = 'User is active';
        break;
    case 'inactive':
        $message = 'User is inactive';
        break;
    default:
        $message = 'Unknown status';
}

After (PHP 8):

$message = match ($status) {
    'active' => 'User…