[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #61890: Handle WP_Term known, named dynamic properties for PHP 8.2

[WordPress Trac]

#61890: Handle WP_Term known, named dynamic properties for PHP 8.2
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 Reporter:  hellofromTonya           |       Owner:  (none)
     Type:  defect (bug)             |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal                   |   Milestone:  6.7
Component:  Taxonomy                 |     Version:  4.4
 Severity:  minor                    |  Resolution:
 Keywords:  php82 has-patch has-     |     Focuses:  coding-standards, php-
  unit-tests needs-testing needs-    |  compatibility
  dev-note has-testing-info          |
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Comment (by adrianduffell):

 Thanks for working on this and reaching out to us WooCommerce!

 It looks like a tricky job for WooCommerce to fully audit potential
 issues. If I understand correctly, we would need to:

 * A) identify dynamic properties added to a WP_Term object, in combination
 with
 * B) that object being cast to an array

 That said, dynamic properties have been a source of clashes within our
 ecosystem. I would prefer to see their usage removed / discouraged.
 Generally, we have seen issues in the wild where two different WooCommerce
 extensions independently add the same named dynamic property to an object
 but expect different types - e.g. one may expect a string and the other a
 boolean. Clashes ensue when the object is passed between functions.
 Overall we have decided to swim in the direction PHP is taking and
 discourage their use (see issue
 https://github.com/woocommerce/woocommerce/issues/45286).

 > How can extenders declare their dynamic property on the class? They
 can't.

 I could see this being an opportune time to deprecate such use in WP_Term
 and encourage safer coding patterns. As WordPress doesn’t seem to have
 been actively encouraging extenders to add dynamic properties to the
 class, I think it would be reasonable to drop support for it in-line with
 PHP’s motives.

 What are your thoughts on adding the full set of magic methods to WP_Term
 as a temporary workaround but including a _doing_it_wrong  notice when a
 dynamic property is used? For WooCommerce at least, this would help us
 identify any usage in the ecosystem and promote safer patterns being used.

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/61890#comment:21>
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