What are the differences between PHP 7 and PHP 8?

Here’s a table that highlights the key differences between PHP 7 and PHP 8:

Feature/Aspect	PHP 7	PHP 8
Release Date	December 2015	November 2020
Performance	Significant performance improvements with PHP 7	Slightly improved performance over PHP 7
JIT (Just-in-Time) Compilation	Not available	Introduced JIT compilation for better performance in specific scenarios
Type Error Handling	Limited type handling with less strict type checking	Stronger and stricter type handling with union types and improvements to type errors
Union Types	Not available	Supports union types (e.g., `int\|float`)
Named Arguments	Not available	Introduced named arguments for better flexibility and readability
Nullsafe Operator	Not available	Introduced `?->` (nullsafe operator) to handle `null` values more cleanly
Match Expression	Not available	Introduced the `match` expression, an improvement over `switch` statements
Attributes (Annotations)	Not available	Introduced native attributes (annotations) to allow metadata for classes, methods, etc.
Error Handling	Fatal errors for type errors	Type errors are handled as exceptions, improving debugging and error handling
Weak Maps	Not available	Introduced Weak Maps for better memory management when working with objects
Constructor Property Promotion	Not available	Allows properties to be defined directly in the constructor, reducing boilerplate code
Trailing Comma in Parameter Lists	Not supported	Allowed in function parameter lists and closure use lists for cleaner code
Stringable Interface	Not available	Introduced `Stringable` interface for objects that can be cast to a string
Consistency Improvements	Some inconsistencies in internal functions	Internal functions were improved for better consistency, like uniform error handling and parameter order
Error Messages	Basic error messages, sometimes not clear	More helpful and detailed error messages, making debugging easier
Deprecations	Deprecated many old and unsafe features like `create_function()`	Deprecated dynamic properties, `implode()` with reversed arguments, etc.
Resource Handling	PHP 7 treated resources as scalar values	PHP 8 introduced `Resources` as objects, leading to better resource management
Compatibility	Compatible with most old code but introduced some deprecations	Requires code updates for compatibility, especially with stricter types and new deprecations

This table captures the most notable changes between PHP 7 and PHP 8, with PHP 8 bringing many new features and enhancements aimed at improving performance, readability, and error handling.

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