Nice topic. I come from a Perl background, where the less code you write the smarter you are – or at least I think that’s the general way it works! Lol

I’ve only just started using ternary operators in my PHP code though, but I think they’re great.

I also think that if they are used sensibly, they don’t have to make the code any less maintainable. I’m a bit OCD when it comes to making code look pretty, and sometimes I think having less lines to scroll through actually makes your code easier and quicker to understand – it just takes a little getting used to, but once you’re happy with the syntax it’s fine.

Tom

Thanks for your comment, and I agree completely on maintainable readable code.

The point of the post was more one of introducing people to the ternary operator and a few ways of using it. I have spoken to quite a lot of developers who simply don’t know what it is!
They are silly examples precisely because you wouldn’t want to use them… of course we can go to the pub on other days!

first of all I disagree that you can only go to pubs on Friday’s, but secondly (and more seriously), writing PHP code (or actually any code) isn’t always about writing code in the least amount of keystrokes. It’s just as important to write *maintainable code*. The ternary operator isn’t always the best possible choice to write readable code, especially not when you nest them.

Derick