php enums

PHP does not have built-in support for enums like some other programming languages do. However, you can simulate enums in PHP using constants or classes. Here are two common approaches:

1. Constants: You can define a set of constants to represent the possible enum values. For example:

<?php
class StatusEnum {
    const PENDING = 'pending';
    const APPROVED = 'approved';
    const REJECTED = 'rejected';
}

$status = StatusEnum::PENDING;
if ($status === StatusEnum::APPROVED) {
    echo "Status is approved";
} elseif ($status === StatusEnum::REJECTED) {
    echo "Status is rejected";
} else {
    echo "Status is pending";
}
?>

2. Classes: You can create a class with static properties to represent the enum values. For example:

<?php
class StatusEnum {
    public static $PENDING = 'pending';
    public static $APPROVED = 'approved';
    public static $REJECTED = 'rejected';
}

$status = StatusEnum::$PENDING;
if ($status === StatusEnum::$APPROVED) {
    echo "Status is approved";
} elseif ($status === StatusEnum::$REJECTED) {
    echo "Status is rejected";
} else {
    echo "Status is pending";
}
?>

Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages. Using constants provides better type safety and autocompletion in IDEs, while using classes allows for more flexibility and additional functionality.