[php] PHP ternary operator vs null coalescing operator

Can someone explain the differences between ternary operator shorthand (?:) and null coalescing operator (??) in PHP?

When do they behave differently and when in the same way (if that even happens)?

$a ?: $b

VS.

$a ?? $b

Null Coalescing operator performs just two tasks: it checks whether the variable is set and whether it is null. Have a look at the following example:

<?php
# case 1:
$greeting = 'Hola';
echo $greeting ?? 'Hi There'; # outputs: 'Hola'

# case 2:
$greeting = null;
echo $greeting ?? 'Hi There'; # outputs: 'Hi There'

# case 3:
unset($greeting);
echo $greeting ?? 'Hi There'; # outputs: 'Hi There'

The above code example states that Null Coalescing operator treats a non-existing variable and a variable which is set to NULL in the same way.

Null Coalescing operator is an improvement over the ternary operator. Have a look at the following code snippet comparing the two:

<?php /* example: checking for the $_POST field that goes by the name of 'fullname'*/
# in ternary operator
echo "Welcome ", (isset($_POST['fullname']) && !is_null($_POST['fullname']) ? $_POST['fullname'] : 'Mr. Whosoever.'); # outputs: Welcome Mr. Whosoever.
# in null coalecing operator
echo "Welcome ", ($_POST['fullname'] ?? 'Mr. Whosoever.'); # outputs: Welcome Mr. Whosoever.

So, the difference between the two is that Null Coalescing operator operator is designed to handle undefined variables better than the ternary operator. Whereas, the ternary operator is a shorthand for if-else.

Null Coalescing operator is not meant to replace ternary operator, but in some use cases like in the above example, it allows you to write clean code with less hassle.

Credits: http://dwellupper.io/post/6/php7-null-coalescing-operator-usage-and-examples

When using the superglobals like $_GET or $_REQUEST you should be aware that they could be an empty string. In this specal case this example

$username = $_GET['user'] ?? 'nobody';

will fail because the value of $username now is an empty string.

So when using $_GET or even $_REQUEST you should use the ternary operator instead like this:

$username = (!empty($_GET['user'])?$_GET['user']:'nobody';

Now the value of $username is 'nobody' as expected.

It seems there are pros and cons to using either ?? or ?:. The pro to using ?: is that it evaluates false and null and "" the same. The con is that it reports an E_NOTICE if the preceding argument is null. With ?? the pro is that there is no E_NOTICE, but the con is that it does not evaluate false and null the same. In my experience, I have seen people begin using null and false interchangeably but then they eventually resort to modifying their code to be consistent with using either null or false, but not both. An alternative is to create a more elaborate ternary condition: (isset($something) or !$something) ? $something : $something_else.

The following is an example of the difference of using the ?? operator using both null and false:

$false = null;
$var = $false ?? "true";
echo $var . "---<br>";//returns: true---

$false = false;
$var = $false ?? "true";
echo $var . "---<br>"; //returns: ---

By elaborating on the ternary operator however, we can make a false or empty string "" behave as if it were a null without throwing an e_notice:

$false = null;
$var = (isset($false) or !$false) ? $false : "true";
echo $var . "---<br>";//returns: ---

$false = false;
$var = (isset($false) or !$false) ? $false : "true";
echo $var . "---<br>";//returns: ---

$false = "";
$var = (isset($false) or !$false) ? $false : "true";
echo $var . "---<br>";//returns: ---

$false = true;
$var = (isset($false) or !$false) ? $false : "true";
echo $var . "---<br>";//returns: 1---

Personally, I think it would be really nice if a future rev of PHP included another new operator: :? that replaced the above syntax. ie: // $var = $false :? "true"; That syntax would evaluate null, false, and "" equally and not throw an E_NOTICE...

Ran the below on php interactive mode (php -a on terminal). The comment on each line shows the result.

var_export (false ?? 'value2');   // false
var_export (true  ?? 'value2');   // true
var_export (null  ?? 'value2');   // value2
var_export (''    ?? 'value2');   // ""
var_export (0     ?? 'value2');   // 0

var_export (false ?: 'value2');   // value2
var_export (true  ?: 'value2');   // true
var_export (null  ?: 'value2');   // value2
var_export (''    ?: 'value2');   // value2
var_export (0     ?: 'value2');   // value2

The Null Coalescing Operator ??

• ?? is like a "gate" that only lets NULL through.
• So, it always returns first parameter, unless first parameter happens to be NULL.
• This means ?? is same as ( !isset() || is_null() )

Use of ??

• shorten !isset() || is_null() check
• e.g $object = $object ?? new objClassName();

Stacking Null Coalese Operator

        $v = $x ?? $y ?? $z; 

        // This is a sequence of "SET && NOT NULL"s:

        if( $x  &&  !is_null($x) ){ 
            return $x; 
        } else if( $y && !is_null($y) ){ 
            return $y; 
        } else { 
            return $z; 
        }

The Ternary Operator ?:

• ?: is like a gate that lets anything falsy through - including NULL
• Anything falsy: 0, empty string, NULL, false, !isset(), empty()
• Same like old ternary operator: X ? Y : Z
• Note: ?: will throw PHP NOTICE on undefined (unset or !isset()) variables

Use of ?:

• checking empty(), !isset(), is_null() etc
• shorten ternary operation like !empty($x) ? $x : $y to $x ?: $y
• shorten if(!$x) { echo $x; } else { echo $y; } to echo $x ?: $y

Stacking Ternary Operator

        echo 0 ?: 1 ?: 2 ?: 3; //1
        echo 1 ?: 0 ?: 3 ?: 2; //1
        echo 2 ?: 1 ?: 0 ?: 3; //2
        echo 3 ?: 2 ?: 1 ?: 0; //3
    
        echo 0 ?: 1 ?: 2 ?: 3; //1
        echo 0 ?: 0 ?: 2 ?: 3; //2
        echo 0 ?: 0 ?: 0 ?: 3; //3

    
        // Source & Credit: http://php.net/manual/en/language.operators.comparison.php#95997
   
        // This is basically a sequence of:

 
        if( truthy ) {}
        else if(truthy ) {}
        else if(truthy ) {}
        ..
        else {}

Stacking both, we can shorten this:

        if( isset($_GET['name']) && !is_null($_GET['name'])) {
            $name = $_GET['name'];
        } else if( !empty($user_name) ) {
             $name = $user_name; 
        } else {
            $name = 'anonymous';
        }

To this:

        $name = $_GET['name'] ?? $user_name ?: 'anonymous';

Cool, right? :-)

If you use the shortcut ternary operator like this, it will cause a notice if $_GET['username'] is not set:

$val = $_GET['username'] ?: 'default';

So instead you have to do something like this:

$val = isset($_GET['username']) ? $_GET['username'] : 'default';

The null coalescing operator is equivalent to the above statement, and will return 'default' if $_GET['username'] is not set or is null:

$val = $_GET['username'] ?? 'default';

Note that it does not check truthiness. It checks only if it is set and not null.

You can also do this, and the first defined (set and not null) value will be returned:

$val = $input1 ?? $input2 ?? $input3 ?? 'default';

Now that is a proper coalescing operator.

The major difference is that

1. Ternary Operator expression expr1 ?: expr3 returns expr1 if expr1 evaluates to TRUE but on the other hand Null Coalescing Operator expression (expr1) ?? (expr2) evaluates to expr1 if expr1 is not NULL

2. Ternary Operator expr1 ?: expr3 emit a notice if the left-hand side value (expr1) does not exist but on the other hand Null Coalescing Operator (expr1) ?? (expr2) In particular, does not emit a notice if the left-hand side value (expr1) does not exist, just like isset().

3. TernaryOperator is left associative

   ((true ? 'true' : false) ? 't' : 'f');
   

   Null Coalescing Operator is right associative

   ($a ?? ($b ?? $c));
   

Now lets explain the difference between by example :

Ternary Operator (?:)

$x='';
$value=($x)?:'default';
var_dump($value);

// The above is identical to this if/else statement
if($x){
  $value=$x;
}
else{
  $value='default';
}
var_dump($value);

Null Coalescing Operator (??)

$value=($x)??'default';
var_dump($value);

// The above is identical to this if/else statement
if(isset($x)){
  $value=$x;
}
else{
  $value='default';
}
var_dump($value);

Here is the table that explain the difference and similarity between '??' and ?:

Special Note : null coalescing operator and ternary operator is an expression, and that it doesn't evaluate to a variable, but to the result of an expression. This is important to know if you want to return a variable by reference. The statement return $foo ?? $bar; and return $var == 42 ? $a : $b; in a return-by-reference function will therefore not work and a warning is issued.

For the beginners:

Null coalescing operator (??)

Everything is true except null values and undefined (variable/array index/object attributes)

ex:

$array = [];
$object = new stdClass();

var_export (false ?? 'second');                           # false
var_export (true  ?? 'second');                           # true
var_export (null  ?? 'second');                           # 'second'
var_export (''    ?? 'second');                           # ""
var_export ('some text'    ?? 'second');                  # "some text"
var_export (0     ?? 'second');                           # 0
var_export ($undefinedVarible ?? 'second');               # "second"
var_export ($array['undefined_index'] ?? 'second');       # "second"
var_export ($object->undefinedAttribute ?? 'second');     # "second"

this is basically check the variable(array index, object attribute.. etc) is exist and not null. similar to isset function

Ternary operator shorthand (?:)

every false things (false,null,0,empty string) are come as false, but if it's a undefined it also come as false but Notice will throw

ex

$array = [];
$object = new stdClass();

var_export (false ?: 'second');                           # "second"
var_export (true  ?: 'second');                           # true
var_export (null  ?: 'second');                           # "second"
var_export (''    ?: 'second');                           # "second"
var_export ('some text'    ?? 'second');                  # "some text"
var_export (0     ?: 'second');                           # "second"
var_export ($undefinedVarible ?: 'second');               # "second" Notice: Undefined variable: ..
var_export ($array['undefined_index'] ?: 'second');       # "second" Notice: Undefined index: ..
var_export ($object->undefinedAttribute ?: 'second');     # "Notice: Undefined index: ..

Hope this helps

The other answers goes deep and give great explanations. For those who look for quick answer,

$a ?: 'fallback' is $a ? $a : 'fallback'

while

$a ?? 'fallback' is $a = isset($a) ? $a : 'fallback'

The main difference would be when the left operator is either:

• A falsy value that is NOT null (0, '', false, [], ...)
• An undefined variable

Both of them behave differently when it comes to dynamic data handling.

If the variable is empty ( '' ) the null coalescing will treat the variable as true but the shorthand ternary operator won't. And that's something to have in mind.

$a = NULL;
$c = '';

print $a ?? '1b';
print "\n";

print $a ?: '2b';
print "\n";

print $c ?? '1d';
print "\n";

print $c ?: '2d';
print "\n";

print $e ?? '1f';
print "\n";

print $e ?: '2f';

And the output:

1b
2b

2d
1f

Notice: Undefined variable: e in /in/ZBAa1 on line 21
2f

Link: https://3v4l.org/ZBAa1

Scroll down on this link and view the section, it gives you a comparative example as seen below:

<?php
/** Fetches the value of $_GET['user'] and returns 'nobody' if it does not exist. **/
$username = $_GET['user'] ?? 'nobody';
/** This is equivalent to: **/
$username = isset($_GET['user']) ? $_GET['user'] : 'nobody';

/** Coalescing can be chained: this will return the first defined value out of $_GET['user'], $_POST['user'], and 'nobody'. **/
$username = $_GET['user'] ?? $_POST['user'] ?? 'nobody';
?>

However, it is not advised to chain the operators as it makes it harder to understand the code when reading it later on.

The null coalescing operator (??) has been added as syntactic sugar for the common case of needing to use a ternary in conjunction with isset(). It returns its first operand if it exists and is not NULL; otherwise it returns its second operand.

Essentially, using the coalescing operator will make it auto check for null unlike the ternary operator.

class a
{
    public $a = 'aaa';
}

$a = new a();

echo $a->a;  // Writes 'aaa'
echo $a->b;  // Notice: Undefined property: a::$b

echo $a->a ?? '$a->a does not exists';  // Writes 'aaa'

// Does not throw an error although $a->b does not exist.
echo $a->b ?? '$a->b does not exist.';  // Writes $a->b does not exist.

// Does not throw an error although $a->b and also $a->b->c does not exist.
echo $a->b->c ?? '$a->b->c does not exist.';  // Writes $a->b->c does not exist.

Both are shorthands for longer expressions.

?: is short for $a ? $a : $b. This expression will evaluate to $a if $a evaluates to TRUE.

?? is short for isset($a) ? $a : $b. This expression will evaluate to $a if $a is set and not null.

Their use cases overlaps when $a is undefined or null. When $a is undefined ?? will not produce an E_NOTICE, but the results are the same. When $a is null the result is the same.