[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #45861: Global variable in plugin main file

[WordPress Trac]

#45861: Global variable in plugin main file
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 Reporter:  rilwis                  |       Owner:  (none)
     Type:  defect (bug)            |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal                  |   Milestone:  Awaiting Review
Component:  Plugins                 |     Version:
 Severity:  normal                  |  Resolution:
 Keywords:  dev-feedback has-patch  |     Focuses:
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Comment (by rilwis):

 Hi @callumbw95,

 Thanks for your feedback. You're right about the potential breakage of
 code if plugin developers intentionally expose the global variable **just
 by declaring it in the main plugin file**.

 I have no stats about this. It's just my personal opinion and observation
 that some plugin developers put their random variables in the main plugin
 files, and that can cause garbage in the global scope, and also
 **potentially break other plugins' functionalities** if they share the
 same names.

 If plugin developers want to make a variable global, it's best if they
 declare it explicitly via `$_GLOBAL['my_plugin_slug'] = ...`.

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/45861#comment:6>
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