## New features

### New object type

A new type, object, has been introduced that can be used for (contravariant) parameter typing and (covariant) return typing of any objects.

`<?php
function test(object $obj) : object
{
return new SplQueue();
}
test(new StdClass());`

### Extension loading by name

Shared extensions no longer require their file extension (.so for Unix or .dll for Windows) to be specified. This is enabled in the php.ini file, as well as in the dl() function.

### Abstract method overriding

Abstract methods can now be overridden when an abstract class extends another abstract class.

`<?php
abstract class A
{
abstract function test(string $s);
}
abstract class B extends A
{
// overridden - still maintaining contravariance for parameters and covariance for return
abstract function test($s) : int;
}`

### Sodium is now a core extension

The modern Sodium cryptography library has now become a core extension in PHP.

For a complete function reference, see the Sodium chapter.

### Password hashing with Argon2

Argon2 has been added to the password hashing API, where the following constants have been exposed:

- `PASSWORD_ARGON2I`
- `PASSWORD_ARGON2_DEFAULT_MEMORY_COST`
- `PASSWORD_ARGON2_DEFAULT_TIME_COST`
- `PASSWORD_ARGON2_DEFAULT_THREADS`

### Extended string types for PDO

PDO's string type has been extended to support the national character type when emulating prepares. This has been done with the following constants:

- `PDO::PARAM_STR_NATL`
- `PDO::PARAM_STR_CHAR`
- `PDO::ATTR_DEFAULT_STR_PARAM`

These constants are utilised by bitwise OR'ing them with `PDO::PARAM_STR`:

`<?php
$db->quote('über', PDO::PARAM_STR | PDO::PARAM_STR_NATL);`

### Additional emulated prepares debugging information for PDO

The PDOStatement::debugDumpParams() method has been updated to include the SQL being sent to the DB, where the full, raw query (including the replaced placeholders with their bounded values) will be shown. This has been added to aid with debugging emulated prepares (and so it will only be available when emulated prepares are turned on).

### Support for extended operations in LDAP

Support for EXOP has been added to the LDAP extension. This has been done by exposing the following functions and constants:

- ldap_parse_exop()
- ldap_exop()
- ldap_exop_passwd()
- ldap_exop_whoami()
- `LDAP_EXOP_START_TLS`
- `LDAP_EXOP_MODIFY_PASSWD`
- `LDAP_EXOP_REFRESH`
- `LDAP_EXOP_WHO_AM_I`
- `LDAP_EXOP_TURN`

### Address Information additions to the Sockets extension

The sockets extension now has the ability to lookup address information, as well as connect to it, bind to it, and explain it. The following four functions have been added for this:

- socket_addrinfo_lookup()
- socket_addrinfo_connect()
- socket_addrinfo_bind()
- socket_addrinfo_explain()

### Parameter type widening

Parameter types from overridden methods and from interface implementations may now be omitted. This is still in compliance with LSP, since parameters types are contravariant.

`<?php
interface A
{
public function Test(array $input);
}
class B implements A
{
public function Test($input){} // type omitted for $input
}`

### Allow a trailing comma for grouped namespaces

A trailing comma can now be added to the group-use syntax introduced in PHP 7.0.

`<?php
use Foo\Bar\{
Foo,
Bar,
Baz,
};`

### proc_nice() support on Windows

The proc_nice() function is now supported on Windows.

### pack() and unpack() endian support

The pack() and unpack() functions now support float and double in both little and big endian.

### Enhancements to the EXIF extension

The EXIF extension has been updated to support a much larger range of formats. This means that their format specific tags are now properly translated when parsing images with the exif_read_data() function. The following new formats are now supported:

- Samsung
- DJI
- Panasonic
- Sony
- Pentax
- Minolta
- Sigma/Foveon
- AGFA
- Kyocera
- Ricoh
- Epson

The EXIF functions exif_read_data() and exif_thumbnail() now support passing streams as their first argument.

### New features in PCRE

- The J modifier for setting PCRE_DUPNAMES has been added.

### SQLite3 allows writing BLOBs

SQLite3::openBlob() now allows to open BLOB fields in write mode; formerly only read mode was supported.

### Oracle OCI8 Transparent Application Failover Callbacks

Support for Oracle Database Transparent Application Failover (TAF) callbacks has been added. TAF allows PHP OCI8 applications to automatically reconnect to a preconfigured database when a connection is broken. The new TAF callback support allows PHP applications to monitor and control reconnection during failover.

### Enhancements to the ZIP extension

Read and write support for encrypted archives has been added (requires libzip 1.2.0).

The ZipArchive class now implements the Countable interface.

The zip:// stream now accepts a 'password' context option.