unset question

[Liquid Fire]

Is:

$varaible = new object a();
$variable = null;

The same as:

$varaible = new object a();
unset($variable);
$varaible = null;

I just wonder in PHP automatically changes the size of a variable since object a could be much larger then null or so i have to unset to free up the memory.

[trq]

In the end $variable equals NULL either way, so no, theres no difference.

[discomatt]

No. unset destroys the variable. defining it as null maintains the variables existence.

 

Though I don't think it makes a difference beyond memory consumption. Most functions that check if a variables exists (isset(), empty() ect..) will return the same whether null or unset() is used.

 

The memory difference between

unset($var);

and

$var = null;

 

is incredibly minimal, and i wouldn't be too concerned unless you're doing something on an utterly massive scale

[Liquid Fire]

No. unset destroys the variable. defining it as null maintains the variables existence.

 

Though I don't think it makes a difference beyond memory consumption. Most functions that check if a variables exists (isset(), empty() ect..) will return the same whether null or unset() is used.

 

The memory difference between

unset($var);

and

$var = null;

 

is incredibly minimal, and i wouldn't be too concerned unless you're doing something on an utterly massive scale

 

Well this is for a framework i am building so i guess i will use the unset instead if = null or = array() or etc...

[discomatt]

unset is best practice.