PHP match Expression

When to use

• The user maps a single subject value to a result (status to label, code to message, enum case to behavior) on PHP 8.0+.
• The user needs to handle every case of an enum and wants a compile-time guarantee that no case is missed.
• The user wants to replace a switch that assigns or returns a value with a safer construct on PHP 8.0+.

When NOT to use

• Do not use match when the target runtime is PHP 7.4 or earlier; use a value-returning switch or an array map instead.
• Do not use this skill when each branch runs a block of side-effecting statements rather than producing a value.

Core guidance