[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #47678: Modernize/simplify current_user_can()

[WordPress Trac]

#47678: Modernize/simplify current_user_can()
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
 Reporter:  jrf                      |       Owner:  pento
     Type:  enhancement              |      Status:  assigned
 Priority:  normal                   |   Milestone:  5.3
Component:  Role/Capability          |     Version:  trunk
 Severity:  normal                   |  Resolution:
 Keywords:  has-patch has-unit-      |     Focuses:  performance, coding-
  tests commit                       |  standards
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Comment (by jrf):

 Replying to [comment:22 pento]:
 > So, we have a bit of a problem, because PHP doesn't do method
 overloading.
 >
 > Changing the method signature of `Walker::walk()` caused an explosion of
 PHP warnings on WordPress.org when I deployed this change. The code still
 works as expected, it's just a sub-optimal experience.
 >
 > Example: https://3v4l.org/2iS9g


 Well, PHP does do method overloading, just expects as a minimum the same
 (number of) arguments.

 There are two choices here:
 1. Revert that particular change.
 2. Update the method signature for the `walk()` and `paged_walk()` methods
 in child classes.

 I'm very much in favour of 2. Yes, WP is notorious for its backward-
 compatibility, but it's not as if other methods have never received new
 arguments if a functional change warranted this or am I mistaken ?

 And while this may not be considered a "functional change", all this does
 is formalize existing behaviour of the methods ''which child-methods
 should already comply with''.

 In reality the optional variadic additional arguments to these methods are
 not new, they just hadn't been made explicit in the method signature. In
 most cases, they already were explicit in the documentation, showing that
 there was full awareness that this was only not (yet) formalized because
 of the limitations in PHP before 5.6.

 I'm very happy & willing to prepare the patch for [2], which should
 effectively solve this for Core, though to be honest a quick search did
 not yield me any classes in Core which overloaded those particular methods
 (so far).

 As for userland code which may extend the `Walker` class:
 1. I have no clue how often this happens. Clearly something on wp.org
 does. @Ipstenu would you be able & willing to see how often `extends [A
 -Za-z_]*Walker` occurs in plugin-land code ?
 2. A dev-note on Make could alert devs to this early so they can update
 their code accordingly, though this would "force" userland plugins/themes
 to drop support for PHP < 5.6 - and therefore WP < 5.2 - as well.

 Note: ''function calls'' to these methods should not be affected, it is
 only classes which extend the `Walker` class (or any of the other touched
 classes) **and** overload the particular method which has changed.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/47678#comment:23>
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