CrunchBang - Code, Design & GNU/Linux

Ternary Operator in PHP

Over on Planet PHP there's a running debate [see here, here & here] over the use of the ternary operator. I love a good debate so I thought I'd chip in with my 2 pennies.

The ternary operator looks attractive and can reduce the amount of code that you write. I know this but I still don't use it. I think PHP is an awesome language and a major contributing factor to its awesomeness is its simplicity. It's a relatively easy language to learn and I think that the wide spread use of the ternary operator would only increase the barrier to entry [not a good thing!]

Also, I find it interesting that the ternary operator is hardly ever referenced in the comments and code examples at PHP.net. Indeed chapter 16 "Control Structures" of the manual hardly mentions it at all.

Ternary operator code example

In case you've no idea what this post is about.

Before: no ternary operator, easy to understand

if ($treat == 'cream') {
    $cat = 'Happy!';
} else {
    $cat = 'Not so happy.';
}

After: ternary operator in use, less code but not so easy to understand

$cat = ($treat == 'cream') ? 'Happy!' : 'Not so happy.';