Enum backed values in PHP - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Enum backed values

📖 Scenario: You are creating a simple program to represent different user roles in a system. Each role has a specific numeric code that the system uses internally.

🎯 Goal: Build a PHP enum with backed integer values for user roles, then print the numeric code of a specific role.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a backed enum called UserRole with integer values

Include roles: Admin = 1, Editor = 2, Viewer = 3

Create a variable called role and assign it the UserRole::Editor

Print the integer value of the role variable

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Enums with backed values are used in real systems to represent fixed sets of options with specific codes, like user roles, status codes, or categories.

💼 Career

Understanding enums helps you write clearer, safer code that is easier to maintain and less error-prone, a valuable skill for PHP developers.

1

Create the enum UserRole with backed integer values

Write a backed enum called UserRole with these exact entries: Admin = 1, Editor = 2, and Viewer = 3.

PHP

<?php

enum UserRole: int
{
    // Your code here
}

Hint

Use enum UserRole: int and define each case with case Name = value;.

2

Assign the UserRole::Editor to a variable

Create a variable called role and assign it the value UserRole::Editor.

PHP

<?php

enum UserRole: int
{
    case Admin = 1;
    case Editor = 2;
    case Viewer = 3;
}

// Your code here

Hint

Use $role = UserRole::Editor; to assign the enum value.

3

Get the integer value from the enum variable

Create a variable called roleValue and assign it the integer value of $role using the value property.

PHP

<?php

enum UserRole: int
{
    case Admin = 1;
    case Editor = 2;
    case Viewer = 3;
}

$role = UserRole::Editor;

// Your code here

Hint

Use $role->value to get the integer value from the enum.

4

Print the integer value of the role

Write a print statement to display the value of $roleValue.

PHP

value;

// Your code here

Hint

Use print($roleValue); to show the number 2.

Practice

1.

What is the main purpose of using backed enums in PHP?

easy

A. To allow enums to inherit from classes

B. To link enum cases to fixed strings or numbers

C. To enable enums to have methods

D. To make enums mutable

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand enum backed values

   Backed enums associate each enum case with a fixed string or integer value.

2. Step 2: Identify the purpose

   This linking helps in storing, comparing, or displaying enum data easily.

3. Final Answer:

   To link enum cases to fixed strings or numbers -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Backed enums link cases to values = A [OK]

Hint: Backed enums always connect cases to fixed values [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking enums can inherit classes
• Confusing backed enums with mutable enums
• Assuming enums cannot have methods

2.

Which of the following is the correct syntax to declare a backed enum with string values in PHP?

enum Status: string {
    case ACTIVE = 'active';
    case INACTIVE = 'inactive';
}

easy

A. enum Status: string { case ACTIVE = 'active'; case INACTIVE = 'inactive'; }

B. enum Status { case ACTIVE = 'active'; case INACTIVE = 'inactive'; }

C. enum Status: int { case ACTIVE = 'active'; case INACTIVE = 'inactive'; }

D. enum Status: string { ACTIVE = 'active'; INACTIVE = 'inactive'; }

Solution

1. Step 1: Check enum declaration syntax

   Backed enums require specifying the type after the enum name, e.g., : string.

2. Step 2: Verify case declarations

   Each case must use the case keyword and assign a value with =.

3. Final Answer:

   enum Status: string { case ACTIVE = 'active'; case INACTIVE = 'inactive'; } -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Backed enum syntax with type and cases = B [OK]

Hint: Backed enums need type after enum name and case keyword [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Omitting the type after enum name
• Not using 'case' keyword before cases
• Using wrong type like int for string values

3.

What will be the output of the following PHP code?

enum Color: int {
    case RED = 1;
    case GREEN = 2;
    case BLUE = 3;
}

echo Color::from(2)->name;

medium

A. Color::GREEN

B. 2

C. GREEN

D. Error: No case for value 2

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Color::from(2)

   The from() method returns the enum case matching the value 2, which is GREEN.

2. Step 2: Access the name property

   Using ->name returns the case name as a string, here "GREEN".

3. Final Answer:

   GREEN -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   from(2) returns GREEN name = GREEN [OK]

Hint: from(value) returns enum case; ->name gives case name [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Printing the value instead of the name
• Confusing from() with tryFrom()
• Expecting full enum class name output

4.

Identify the error in the following PHP enum backed values code:

enum Status: string {
    case PENDING = 'pending';
    case COMPLETED = 'completed';
}

$status = Status::from('done');

medium

A. No error, code runs fine

B. Compile error: Enum must use int type

C. Syntax error: Missing semicolon after enum cases

D. Runtime error: Value 'done' not found in enum cases

Solution

1. Step 1: Check the from() method usage

   The from() method throws an error if the value does not match any enum case.

2. Step 2: Analyze the value 'done'

   Since 'done' is not a defined case value, a runtime error occurs.

3. Final Answer:

   Runtime error: Value 'done' not found in enum cases -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   from() with invalid value causes runtime error = D [OK]

Hint: from() fails if value not in enum cases [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming from() returns null on failure
• Thinking syntax error due to semicolons
• Believing enum must be int type only

5.

Given the following enum, which code snippet correctly converts a string value to an enum case safely without throwing an error?

enum Direction: string {
    case NORTH = 'north';
    case SOUTH = 'south';
    case EAST = 'east';
    case WEST = 'west';
}

Choose the correct usage:

hard

A. $dir = Direction::tryFrom('east');

B. $dir = Direction::from('southwest');

C. $dir = Direction::from('up');

D. $dir = Direction::tryFrom('down');

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand from() vs tryFrom()

   from() throws error if value not found; tryFrom() returns null instead.

2. Step 2: Check each option's value

   Only tryFrom('east') matches a valid case and safely returns the enum case.

3. Final Answer:

   $dir = Direction::tryFrom('east'); -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   tryFrom() safely converts valid value = C [OK]

Hint: Use tryFrom() to avoid errors on invalid values [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using from() with invalid values causing errors
• Expecting tryFrom() to throw errors
• Confusing enum case names with values